The Immigrants’ Civil War Index
There are some great blogs dealing with the Civil War. Here are the ones I check out every week:
Irish in the American Civil War-Damian Shiels is a professional archaeologist in Ireland who has created a wonderful blog and resource-filled website on just about everything to do with the Irish during the war.
Civil War Memory-This is one of the most popular Civil War blogs on the web. Kevin Levin, a historian and high school teacher, focuses on how the Civil War has been remembered over the last 150 years. In particular he looks at the political uses the past has been put to, and it ain’t always pretty. This is one site where the comments are almost as good as the (typically) great blogs.
Crossroads-Brooks Simpson is a highly respected, nationally known, historian at Arizona State University. He’s also from Long Island, funny, urbane, and incisive. Extra points for being an Islander fan long after that team failed its existential test. Crossroads leads readers to ask why other academic historians don’t start blogging as well. Are the other “greats” just not as bright a set of bulbs as Brooks?
Dead Confederates-Andy Hall wants you to know that he is a Texan and that his youth was dominated by family stories of his own dead Confederate ancestors. Andy gives you updates on his historical research, his virtual Civil War efforts, as well as his own idiosyncratic observations on all things Civil War. Extra points for being a Levon Helm fan.
Bull Runnings-In a world of wide-ranging Civil War bloggers, Harry Smeltzer has decided to put a leash on his writing. Not only does he only write about Bull Run, he refuses to stray so far afield as to write about the Second Bull Run. Yup, First Bull Run and only First Bull Run here. Lucky he does what he does do so very well.
Student of the American Civil War-Al Mackey is a retired Air Force Officer who seems to devote an ungodly amount of time to going to Civil War conferences, battlefields, and museums. Whatever he learns as a “student of the Civil War” he posts on his blog. Here you’ll find notes on lectures he attended, links to videos, and just about anything else Al thinks might interest you. Often it does.
Fredericksburg Remembered: Musings on history, public history, and historic Fredericksburg -John Hennessy is an amazing historian and great public servant. He is an outstanding expert on the Civil War in Virginia. He is also a fascinating blogger. Here you’ll find his thoughts inspired by his work for the National Park Service.
Finally, I’d like to point out one facebook page, Civil War Kids. Andrew is a middle school student exploring the war through battlefield visits and reading primary sources. Nothing gimmicky here, just a young man exploring the past. How cool.
RIP:
Cosmic America-As the blog’s name might imply, this one can be a little weird at times. Keith Harris is an academic historian regularly criticized by hardcore Civil War guys as a latte-drinking-sunglass-wearing-metrosexual, but his blog can be great fun and, well, cosmic. [Note: while the blog is still up, no further posts are offered.]
