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From the Editor
I’m just getting back from a week’s vacation in Maine. Known as “The Pine Tree State” and “Vacationland,” Maine proclaims itself “The Way Life Should Be.” As someone who’s lived much of his life there, I agree.
It’s a tricky slogan, though. You get a different Maine depending on where you go. The beaches along the southern coast are different than the rocky tourist mecca of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park or the moose-infested forests around Rangely and Baxter State Park. The expansive potato fields of Aroostook County—known simply as “The County” to Mainers—differ wildly from the rugged blueberry barrens of Washington County. Affluent communities along Maine’s touristy mid-coast hardly resemble the working fishing villages of Downeast.
Which of these lives is the way life should be?
Figuring out the answer is, of course, part of the fun. In fact, it's the whole point. Maine might be the destination, but what life looks like there—what it looks like anywhere—is a journey, not a place.
I’m on just such a journey myself.
Since Kris White, Jake Struhelka and I founded Emerging Civil War fifteen years ago, I’ve served as ECW’s president. However, for the past year or so, I’ve been making arrangements to relinquish that role, hoping for the chance to concentrate less on administrative matters and more on creative projects. I also want to be sure ECW survives beyond me, which can only happen if I step aside so the next generation of leadership can step up.
I’m so pleased that Neil Chatelain expressed a willingness to answer that call. For the last year, Neil and I have been working together to ensure a smooth transition, and earlier this month, ECW’s board of directors formally elected him as our new president. ECW will be in really good hands.
Meanwhile, I’ll still stick around as ECW’s “grand old man,” hosting the podcast and writing books and blog posts and such. Mostly, I want my institutional memory to be useful while I also keep myself out from under Neil’s feet!
What my post-presidency looks like specifically—and what post-Mackowski looks like for ECW—well . . . that’s the journey, isn’t it? It’s a new opportunity to discover “the way life should be.” An adventure awaits!
— Chris Mackowski, Ph.D.
(Former!) Editor-in-Chief
and Grand Old Man
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During his trip, Chris stopped by Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain's grave (above) in Brunswick, Maine.
However, there's more to Civil War Maine than Chamberlain—as any smart reader of Brian Swartz's Maine at War blog can tell you. Brian, co-managing editor of ECW's blog, got together with Chris at Chamberlain Freedom Park (right) in Brewer, Maine—JLC's hometown and Brian's, too.
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From ECW's New Leadership Team
Because of vacation schedules and such, Neil will officially take over the newsletter's editorial reins next month. In the meantime, he and the rest of our new leadership team wanted to share a few quick thoughts:
Neil Chatelain, president: Chris and I have been talking about this transition for the last two years, so I have a fairly good grasp about everything ECW needs. Hopefully that means a relatively seamless transition that most ECW readers will not even notice. I appreciate all the help from ECW members and our readers and supporters over the years and look forward to working with everyone more in the years to come.
Angie Zombeck, chief historian: I was truly honored and excited when Chris asked me to be chief historian at ECW. I’ve enjoyed reading the articles published by ECW over the years and have also enjoyed writing some guest posts. I’m excited to share my passion for the Civil War with the public, to help mentor the next generation of Civil War historians, and to invite more people to join the conversation by submitting their research and writing for consideration as guest contributors.
Evan Portman, vice president: When Chris and Neil asked me to serve as vice president I was both honored and a bit surprised. I've been with ECW for nearly 3 years now, and I'm really looking forward to serving the organization in this new capacity. Exciting things are on the horizon for Emerging Civil War, and I'm always grateful for its loyal readers!
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12th Annual Emerging Civil War Symposium at Stevenson Ridge—
Sold Out!
Tickets for the 12th Annual Emerging Civil War Symposium sold out on July 10. Hopefully that's incentive to you to get your tickets early for next year's event!
We'll going to unveil the theme and keynote speaker for 2027's Symposium at this year's event, so keep your eyes peeled for that announcement soon.
For those who did get tickets, you can find the start times, speaker slots, awards, and extra goodies here.
| | | July saw Neil Chatelain wrap up summer classes. In between those, and learning the ropes of running ECW, Neil has been combing through about 10,000 microfilm slides of muster sheets and pay receipts for Confederate Navy vessels. Many of these have survived—more so than he originally thought. Besides that, he recently spoke with the Blue and Gray Education Society about his recently released ECW book This Great Contest Afloat: The Civil War on the Seas, Coastline, Rivers, and Oceans. | | |
Arie De Young attended the Hesston Steam Museum's reenactment "Civil War Train Raid," which was loosely inspired by the events of John Hunt Morgan's July 1863 raid through Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. He also wrote an article exploring youth attendance at civil war roundtables for the Old Baldy Civil War Roundtable. On his vacation to Kentucky this month, he toured Perryville Battlefield and once again viewed one of his favorite historical artifacts: George H. Thomas's cane at the General Hal Moore Military Museum in Bardstown, Kentucky.
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Bert Dunkerly recently visited Monocacy National Battlefield in Frederick, MD. Their new exhibits are excellent. He also visited the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, which is outstanding. On August 17 he'll be speaking at the American Civil War Museum in Richmond, about his recent book, The Lower Battlefield of Antietam.
Madeline Feierstein has been quite busy building her business, Rooted in Place LLC, this summer. She recently spoke at the American Battlefield Trust's Virtual Teacher Institute on the rise of nationalism in the wake of the War of 1812. She is looking forward to a jam-packed fall season full of genealogy workshops, site visits, and a research trip to Arkansas. Her debut book, Occupied Alexandria: How the Civil War Transformed a Southern City, is now available for pre-order on Amazon and will be released on October 27! Madeline will post her forthcoming 2027 book tour schedule on her website: www.madelinefeierstein.com/occupiedalexandria
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On July 15, 2026, Chris Mackowski was honored by the Kansas City Civil War Roundtable with its Harry S Truman Award. Named after President Truman, a founding member of the roundtable, the award is presented to an individual for meeting one or more of the following criteria:
- Making a significant contribution to the dissemination and preservation of Civil War military history.
- Being a distinguished scholar and author of Civil War military history.
- Promoting and/or organizing an important project related to the knowledge and understanding of Civil War military history.
- Participating in the selection, development, or preservation of historic Civil War military sites.
Chris is the 39th recipient of the award since it was established in 1959.
[In the photo, roundtable President Deb Buckner and Program Chair Gary Nevius present the roundtable's Truman Award to Mackowski.]
| | It was a quiet summer for Derek Maxfield—at least until July 13th when he and his wife, Jess, welcomed a baby boy: Salem Xavier Maxfield. The newest little historian weighed in at 8 pounds 14 ounces. Both mother and baby are doing well. | | |
Evan Portman joined Emerging Revolutionary War's Rob Orrison and Mark Maloy in Philadelphia to commemorate the 250th anniversary of independence on July 2. He also spent July 1 and 3 in Gettysburg for the 163rd anniversary!
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8 Questions with. . .
Angela Zombek
This July we’re highlighting ECW's new chief historian, Angie Zombek! Angie is a passionate historian with a talent for sharing that passion with others. She has taught Civil War history in many settings, including Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, and St. Francis High School. Dr. Zombek currently teaches at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she was recently promoted to full professor. Her research interests include prisoners of war, Civil War prisons, the press, and Florida Civil War history. Between her academic and public history experience, Angie has a wealth of Civil War knowledge, and we're so excited to have her on board. You can read more about Angie here!
1. How did you get interested in the Civil War?
My parents got me interested in history, generally, by taking me and my brother on several trips to Colonial Williamsburg when we were young. We went so frequently that the person who portrayed Thomas Jefferson started recognizing us! So, I was already interested in history, and then when I was in 8th grade, a descendant of President McKinley came to my 8th grade class and spoke about McKinley’s Civil War service. He also gave a compelling talk on Gettysburg, and I was hooked on the Civil War from that moment.
2. If you could have dinner with any Civil War figure, who would it be and why?
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker. I'd be fascinated to hear about her experiences as a surgeon, her imprisonment at Castle Thunder in Richmond, and the controversy surrounding her being awarded the Medal of Honor.
3. What's an underrated Civil War site you think more people should visit?
Pickett’s Mill Battlefield State Historic Site in Dallas, Georgia. I have to admit some bias in this choice since I wrote my undergraduate thesis on the battle and its memory, detailing soldiers’ recollections and their desire for the battle to be remembered since General William T. Sherman omitted it from his official report and memoirs. Walking the battlefield gives a good sense of the challenging terrain that soldiers faced, and the earthworks at the site are very well preserved.
Lightning Round
4. Favorite primary source?
I have a research answer and a teaching answer. For research, like so many people, I love reading soldiers’ letters. When researching my book on Key West, I stumbled on some particularly rich collections from soldiers who wrote extensive letters home to their wives and other family members which made me feel like I knew them by the time I was done transcribing. But I also love Civil War-era newspapers, both for accounts of whatever I happen to be researching, and for the quips that they contained.
For teaching, I love music. When I teach my Civil War and Reconstruction class, I start every class with a song that ties into the lecture topic for that day.
5. Favorite Civil War-related monument?
Rev. William Corby’s monument at Gettysburg, depicting him giving the troops general absolution.
6. Favorite unsung hero of the Civil War era?
This might be a little different, but my answer is Ambrose Bierce, not just for his military service, but also for his writing. His accounts, fictional and factual, of the war provide deep insight into the experience of battle and the darker side of the war.
7. What’s a bucket-list Civil War site you’ve not yet visited?
Vicksburg.
8. Favorite book by an ECW author?
This answer is informed by what I’m currently reading, which is Neil Chatlain’s This Great Contest Afloat. It’s helping me to prepare to teach a course on the Union blockade and blockade running this coming fall, but I’m also interested in it since the war on the seas doesn’t get nearly as much attention as does the war on land.
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Emerging Revolutionary War News
July is always a momentous month in American Revolutionary War history, and this year even more so as the country celebrates the 250th. If you were unable to attend the programs in Philadelphia, don't worry—Emerging Revolutionary War has you covered. Check out our Facebook and YouTube channels as Rob Orrison and Mark Maloy ventured to Philadelphia.
With the release of the movie Young Washington, we added another segment of our popular "Rev War Revelry" in between our scheduled episodes. Historians broke down the movie to prepare you to see it from both a cinematic and historical lens.
Also this month, Eric Sterner was a guest on the Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s “Revolution Revisited” podcast to talk about George Rogers Clark and the war in the West. The episode came out on Jul 22. It’s also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Bert Dunkerly recently co-authored a booklet about Henrico County, VA in the American Revolution. It summarizes the events in the county and highlights places to visit. Bert is also on the Henrico County 250th Committee.
As the calendar flips to August, check out the upcoming "Rev War Revelries" as the cadre of historians at Emerging Revolutionary War turn their attention and expertise to the New York Campaign of 1776 in its 250th year. As always, check out the blog, www.emergingrevolutionarywar.org to stay up to date on all things Revolutionary War 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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August
5: Tim Talbott, “Petersburg’s Breakthrough: April 2, 1865,” Mechanicsville Public Library
7–9: 12th Annual Emerging Civil War Symposium at Stevenson Ridge.
11: Evan Portman, Central Delaware Civil War Round Table
14: Neil P. Chatelain, “Postwar Identity Crisis of the Confederate Navy’s Officer Corps,” Tallahassee History Roundtable, Virtual Presentation.
15: Dave Powell, Central Ohio CWRT, Columbus, OH
18: Caroline Davis, Morgantown, WV CWRT
19: Jon-Erik Gilot, “The Meteor of the War: John Brown’s Raid,” Rolland Center for Lincoln Research, Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, IN (Virtual)
20: Neil P. Chatelain, “Treasure and Empire in the Civil War,” The Surprising Civil War: A Symposium of Scholars in Texas, Texas A&M, College, Station, TX
26: Neil P. Chatelain, “Ironclad Ambush: The Battle of the Head of Passes,” CivilWar Talk, Virtual Presentation
28-30: Curt Fields, Civil War Round Table Congress Annual Conference, Pamplin Park, VA
September
8: Chris Mackowski, “Grant’s Last Battle,” Ann Arbor (MI) Civil War Roundtable
8: Melissa Winn, “Grant’s Conscience: The Unique Camaraderie Between Ulysses S. Grant and his Chief of Staff John Rawlins,” Richmond Civil War Round Table, Richmond, VA
10: Brian Kowell, “Horses in the Civil War,” Tuscarawas Valley Civil War Round Table
11–13: Chris Mackowski & Kris White, “Chancellorsville’s Forgotten Front: The Battles of Second Fredericksburg and Salem Church,” CVBT Annual Conference
12: Neil P. Chatelain, “Ironclad Ambush: The Battle of the Head of Passes,” Civil War Round Table of Central Louisiana, 2nd Saturday with Savas Beatie, Virtual Presentation
16: Neil P. Chatelain, “Confederate Privateering Activity in San Francisco,” Phil Kearney Civil War Round Table, Virtual Presentation.
21: Patrick Kelly-Fischer, Inland Empire Civil War Roundtable (virtual, @ 6:30 Pacific Time)
23: Chris Mackowski, “Alas of Independence: John Adams and the American Revolution,” Friends of Hanley Library, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Bradford, PA
23: Chris Mackowski, “All Men Are Created Equal: From Jefferson to Lincoln to Us,” Buffalo (NY) Civil War Roundtable
25-25: Dave Powell, Savas Beatie Author’s meet up, Gettysburg, PA
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