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From the Editor
A popular meme that has floated around Facebook in the past year or so features Ulysses S. Grant during his later years. Perhaps you’ve seen it. He looks stern and a little beefy, and he warns, “If we are to have another contest in the near future of our national existence, I predict that the dividing line will not be Mason and Dixon's but between patriotism and intelligence on the one side, and superstition, ambition and ignorance on the other.”
There’s a lot of wisdom to that cautionary statement, although most people don’t know where it actually comes from—except that it accompanies a photo of Grant, so it must be true, right? (Grant made his prediction as part of a 1875 speech he gave at a reunion of the Army of the Tennessee in Des Moines, Iowa. For more, check out this story from the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site.)
I thought of the Grant meme recently because of a quote I saw online from another U.S. president, John Adams.
In early December, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Adams Memorial–Great American Heroes Act (H.R. 2306), which finally advances long-stalled efforts to create a memorial for the Adams family in Washington, D.C. The Adams Memorial Foundation has provided regular updates on its Facebook page. The Foundation also shares tidbits of info and trivia about various members of the Adams family, photos of primary documents, and, not surprisingly, Adams quotes.
One such quote from this month happened to be one of the favorite Adams quotes of all, and it speaks directly to Grant’s fears about ignorance. Adams knew that a functioning democracy required an engaged citizenry well-informed enough to make its own decisions. “Let us tenderly and kindly cherish, therefore, the means of knowledge,” Adams wrote in 1765. “Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write.”
And of course, reading, thinking, speaking, and writing are all active pursuits, not passive pastimes. One must engage.
“Learning is not attained by chance,” Abigail Adams once said; “it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.” The Foundation shared that quote a few days after it had shared John’s.
If we are to avoid “another contest,” as Grant put it, we must actively cultivate our “patriotism and intelligence” by reading, thinking, speaking, and writing. We must engage, and we must do so with “ardor and diligence.” We must cherish the means of knowledge.
Ignore those memes that let us “prove” a point with smug self-satisfaction. Don’t mistake click-bait headlines for information. Remember that algorithms give us information that confirms rather than challenges our biases and tells us what we want to hear, not what we need to hear. Be on guard against “superstition, ambition and ignorance.”
Democracy is not a spectator sport but an active responsibility.
— Chris Mackowski, Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief
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13th Annual Emerging Civil War Symposium at Stevenson Ridge
We’re pleased to announce our full line-up of speakers for our 13th Annual Emerging Civil War Symposium at Stevenson Ridge. Our event will be held August 7–9, 2025. Early Bird tickets for $275 each are only available through December 31; regular tickets will be available beginning January 1 for $325 each. Our theme will be “Partnerships and Rivalries.”
We’re pleased to feature TWO keynote speakers this year:
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Harold Holzer—Presidents in Print: The Dueling Images of Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis
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Craig Symonds—Admirals in Blue and Gray: Farragut and Buchanan
Plus, we have a line-up of eight other speakers:
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Kris White—“Heavens, How They Hate Him”: Braxton Bragg and the Army of Tennessee’s High Command
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Dr. Angela Zombeck—Partners in Escape: POW Escape Attempts and Plots, Successful and Stymied
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Joseph Ricci—“Not with a Pen but a Sword”: George H. Thomas and John M. Schofield
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Pat Kelly-Fischer—Duel in the Desert: Canby and Sibley’s Fight for the West
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Neil Chatelain—The Mississippi River vs. Everyone: How Grant, Foote, Pope, Farragut, Porter, Butler, Lovell, Johnston, Beauregard, and Hollins had to fight the “Father of Waters” before fighting each other
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Ryan Quint—“With Friends Like These…”: Ambrose Burnside and Joseph Hooker, Late 1862
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Tim Smith (of the East)—Friction in Command: Personal and Professional Conflicts Between the Union Commanders During the Gettysburg Campaign
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Evan Portman—Frenemies: The Partnership and Rivalry of Joshua Chamberlain and Ellis Spear
Our popular Friday evening panel also returns, and we'll have a Sunday morning tour—so we have lots going on!
For information or to order tickets, visit our Symposium page.
| | | The semester has wound down for Neil Chatelain. He spent the rest of December working on some upcoming presentations and reading the latest books about the Mississippi River Naval Squadron and Louisiana's WPA Slave Narratives. | | Bert Dunkerly recently visited Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in Missouri, one of the last major battlefield parks he had yet to see. | | Madeline Feierstein established her own brand as an independent historian this month! In addition to her projects with ECW, "Rooted in Place" furthers her mission to research prisons, hospitals, and psychiatric institutions. You can check out her work and find links to social media at www.madelinefeierstein.com. | | |
Several ECW historians visited Rev War sites around Philadelphia during a cold, wind-swept, snow-covered visit in mid-December, working on a video series for the American Battlefield Trust. From left to right, Kris White, Mark Maloy, Dan Davis, videographer Andy Poulton, and Chris Mackowski hit up Brandywine, Battle of the Clouds, Paoli, Washington's Crossing, Trenton, Princeton, and Valley Forge. Look for those videos to start dropping later this year.
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Last month, fellow co-founder and good friend Gina Denham joined Darren Rawlings at the annual American Civil War Round Table UK AGM, where they had the privilege of giving a talk on John Davis, founder of the London Branch of U.S. Civil War Veterans. They shared the story of Davis and the organization he established, highlighting an important but often overlooked chapter of Civil War history. Darren shares that the talk was well received, and it was an honor to contribute to this year’s program.
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8 Questions with. . .
Devan Sommerville
Devan Sommerville is one of ECW’s newest members, so we asked him some questions to get to know him better! Devan joins us from the Great White North, proving once again that a love for Civil War history knows no borders. When he's not diving deep into historical research, Devan works as a consultant lobbyist in beautiful Toronto, Ontario. If you haven’t already, check out his latest article on John McClernand and the start of the Vicksburg Campaign. And read his full bio here!
1. How did you get interested in the Civil War?
It's been a near life-long fascination, which may strike some as odd for someone with a very conventionally Canadian upbringing. It was a confluence of factors at just the right time: a history-obsessed grandfather with an easy-to-reach low shelf of illustrated Civil War books and loving parents who took an impressionable youngster to both Epcot and Gettysburg. I was also blessed to be part of what I like to call the Centennial "echo"—the resurgence of intense interest in the Civil War in the 1980s and 1990s. VHS cassettes of Ken Burns and Gettysburg, the Battle Cry of Freedom, Glory and documentaries by the score—it all washed over me.
2. If you could have a drink with any Civil War figure, who would it be?
As a confirmed "temperance man" (in the spirit of the period), I'll choose to slightly reframe the question. As for who I would share a meal or a conversation with? Abraham Lincoln without hesitation. He is, to me, the defining personality of both the conflict and the period. I heartily recommend Michael Burlingame's two-volume biography. It's fascinating reading and deeply humanizes Lincoln as a man, but you're left no less awe-inspired.
3. Do you have a favorite Canadian connection to the Civil War?
Which to choose? There's Calixa Lavallée, the composer of Canada's future national anthem, who served in the 4th Rhode Island and was purportedly wounded at Antietam. Or Maj. Gen. Jacob Cox, the Federal Corps commander and future Governor of Ohio who was born in Montreal while his father supervised the construction of that city's iconic Roman Catholic basilica. Perhaps his fellow Corps commander, Maj. Gen. Orlando Willcox, who relocated to the small town of Cobourg, Ontario in the last years of his life. It might be David Henry Bennett, a corporal in the 28th New York killed at Antietam, whose family had his remains transported all the way back across the border to a tiny cemetery minutes outside by hometown.
Lightning Round
4. Favorite primary source?
The Official Records. Even considering its limitations, the wealth of information contained within is breathtaking. It remains an incredible archival feat and the foundation of scholarship to this day.
5. Favorite Civil War-related monument?
Vicksburg's monumentation surpasses all other battlefields in my opinion. While the Illinois Monument is understandably iconic, several other state monuments are equally masterful. The Iowa Monument is probably my favorite; its bronzework tells a fascinating story of the campaign and the state's contribution.
6. Favorite unsung hero of the Civil War era?
It might be a dodge, but it's probably the huge number of stories yet to be told—common soldiers, junior officers, and civilians.
7. What’s a bucket-list Civil War site you’ve not yet visited?
Richmond.
8. Favorite book by an ECW author?
Dave Powell's 3-volume work on Chickamauga is a treasure. I've read it—both fully and in parts—on several occasions, and it's difficult to see how a study of the campaign and battle could surpass it.
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ECW Multimedia
New podcasts and videos continued to roll out through December, including a riveting episode with Dr. Ken Rutherford on his new book America’s Buried History: Landmines in the Civil War. Dr. Rutherford is a landmine survivor himself and a leading expert on landmine non-proliferation. Make sure to check out the podcast if you haven’t already, and use code “MINES” for free shipping on the book through Savas Beatie here.
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On the YouTube channel…
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Chris Mackowski reports from the field at Fredericksburg along the Rapphannock River (with great drone shots from Kris White) and then from Gettysburg, where he reminisced further on the Battle of Fredericksburg anniversary.
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Jim Kay of the Battle of Nashville Trust joined Emerging Civil War News for a special report on preservation efforts at Shy’s Hill in Nashville.
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Tom Van Winkle, president of the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, joined Emerging Civil War News to talk about CVBT's new "60 for 40" Campaign to celebrate CVBT's 30th anniversary.
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Emerging Revolutionary War News
Although December in American Revolutionary War history usually provokes the memory of the Crossing of the Delaware and the surprise attack at Trenton, New Jersey, there was another important engagement fought in the last month of the year. The Battle of Great Bridge was fought on December 9, 1775, in Virginia. Bert Dunkerly spoke at the event, commemorating the patriot victory of forces led by Virginia Royal Governor Lord Dunmore. A few other members of the Emerging Revolutionary War team ventured down to celebrate the 250th.
To learn about Great Bridge, check out Emerging Revolutionary War's Facebook page for the live video done on December 9. As a follow-up in January, Emerging Revolutionary War will have a "Rev War Revelry" on the aftermath of Great Bridge and the implications of the engagement.
Also in January, ERW historian Mark Maloy will be speaking at the Hugh Mercer Apothecary in Fredericksburg, Virginia on January 3.
All of us at Emerging Revolutionary War wish you a very happy holiday season and thank you for your support in watching the videos, tuning in to the revelries, or listening to the podcasts. We look forward to bringing you more Revolutionary War history as America continues its 250th commemorations.
*Image courtesy of Dan Welch
As always, stay tuned to our Facebook and blog (www.emergingrevolutionarywar.org) for your latest fix of the American Revolutionary Era!
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You Can Help Support Emerging Civil War
Emerging Civil War is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. If you’re interested in supporting “emerging voices” by making a tax-deductible donation, you can do so by visiting our website: www.emergingcivilwar.com; you can mail us a check at the address below (make checks payable to "Emerging Civil War"); or you can make a gift through PayPal.
Thank you!
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January
2: Jon-Erik Gilot, “Hunter’s Retreat from Lynchburg,” Civil War Roundtable Congress “Civil War Fridays” (Zoom)
6: Neil P. Chatelain, “Treasure and Empire in the Civil War,” Brunswick Civil War Round Table
7: Evan Portman, “A Civil War within a War: NYC Draft Riots,” Tallahassee History Roundtable, Tallahassee, FL
8: Curt Fields, North Shore CWRT, Commack, NY (zoom)
15: Jon-Erik Gilot, “The Hardest Campaign Ever Inaugurated: Hunter’s Retreat from Lynchburg,” Mid-Ohio Valley CWRT, Marietta, OH
February
9: Chris Mackowski, “A Tempest of Iron and Lead: The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House,” Raleigh (NC) Civil War Roundtable
10: Neil P. Chatelain, “Defending the Arteries of Rebellion,” Fort Worth Civil War Round Table
10: Kevin C. Donovan, “Pope Pius IX & the Confederacy,” Roanoke (VA) CWRT, Roanoke, VA
17: Curt Fields, Scottsdale CWRT, Scottsdale, AZ
19: Curt Fields, The Museum of the West, Scottsdale, AZ
28: Curt Fields, 4th Annual Civil War Symposium, Dover, TN
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