Most of the time, BGES Executive Director Len Riedel is tirelessly working to plan and execute BGES’ large and diverse organization and programs. This time, he took the back seat—literally—on a recent Field University program—A Test of Loyalties: East Tennessee Raids, Railroads, and Rebellion, which took place July 24–27, 2019, with military historian Jim Ogden … Read more
When Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of Northern Virginia in 1862, he wasn’t sure what was going on behind the lines of the Federal Army of the Potomac, under command of George McClellan. So he sent his 29-year-old cavalry chief, J.E.B. Stuart, to study McClellan’s vulnerabilities—a tour that Lee used to crush … Read more
The Battle of Shiloh raged on April 6 and 7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. It remains the seventh bloodiest battle of the Civil War, and the nineteenth bloodiest battle in all of American history. Monuments to the battle began being erected in 1902, with fifteen total soon honoring the service and sacrifice of different … Read more
It’s not exactly breaking news to say Richmond is a Civil War lover’s dream. Obviously, as the capital of the Confederacy, the city’s place in American history is unquestioned. And the amount of Civil War history that has been preserved is impressive, to say the least. Much of that can be found at Richmond National Battlefield Park, which … Read more
Missouri’s role in the Civil War is well documented. Given its central location and geographic features, notably the Mississippi River, the state was crucial to the fortunes of both sides of the conflict. More than 100,000 Missourians fought in the war, the large majority for the Union, despite the fact that Missouri was a slave … Read more
“Saving Our Civil War History” has become a new BGES tagline, and we are always keeping our eyes out for ways to proactively restore historical interpretations. One project that we currently are excited about concerns a nearly forgotten Civil War site near Hamilton, North Carolina—Fort Branch—which was in need of new interpretive signs. We last … Read more
Battlefields just don’t get preserved through wishful thinking. It takes dedication, know-how, funding, and a host of other commitments to ensure preservation of these historic venues. Antietam is one such place that, if not for the devoted efforts of the Save Historic Antietam Foundation, may have been usurped by the rising tide of development and … Read more
On July 9, 1864, Union Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace met Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early on the banks of the Monocacy River, just south of Frederick, Maryland. The day-long battle that transpired is today known as the battle that saved Washington, D.C. BGES will be delving into the nuts and bolts of this important … Read more
BGES member Jo Roberts recently joined Neil Mangum and a group of history enthusiasts on BGES’ tour “Death in Montana: The Last Stand of George Armstrong Custer.” Here’s what she has to say about her experience, with photos to boot! In the summer of 1998, I drove up to the Little Bighorn Battlefield on my … Read more
As BGES digs in to helping restore the Lincoln Conspirators’ Courtroom at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., two exciting new artifacts have been discovered. We caught up with BGES member Paul Severance, who is helping to lead the project, to ask a few questions about these intriguing relics of history. BGES Blog: What are the items, … Read more