For all sorts of reasons, I have a militant aversion to banning books. As a writer, a former journalist, and someone who teaches in a School of Communication, I’m a vehement defender of the First Amendment and freedom of expression. Of late, threats against free speech have come from both the political left and right; neither side holds a monopoly on wanting to silence particular kinds of speech.

Books come under particular pressure. Over the past few months, Toni Morrison’s Nobel Prize-winning Beloved and Art Spielgelman’s Pulitzer-winning Holocaust fable Maus have been the latest targets to attract national headlines. They join the ranks of other such “offensive” books as Mark Twain’s Huck Finn, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, and George Orwell’s 1984 (that last one is particularly ironic).

In my own back yard, a pair of ideological arsonists on a local school board have advocated not just banning but burning books. I’m reminded of Nazi bonfires intended to “cleanse” the Reich of unwholesome ideas.

“The burning of a book is a sad, sad sight, for even though a book is nothing but ink and paper, it feels as if the ideas contained in the book are disappearing as the pages turn to ashes and the cover and binding . . . blacken and curl as the flames do their wicked work,” wrote the pseudonymous author Lemony Snicket. “When someone is burning a book, they are showing utter contempt for all of the thinking that produced its ideas, all of the labor that went into its words and sentences. . . .”

So it was not with a heavy heart and troubled conscience that I held a book burning of my own this month.

In our year-end series about the Emerging Civil War Series, I wrote about my copyediting travails with Strike Them a Blow: Battle Along the North Anna River. I love the book so much but have been so ashamed of its poor proofing that I hoarded the last few cases in my garage, refusing to let Savas Beatie sell them, finally triggering a new, updated—and copy-corrected!—printing. That new printing is now available!

With that news, my wife informed me that it was finally time to part with the boxes of old books in my garage.

Just tossing them into the recycling would be too impractical and too . . . I dunno . . . tawdry. Too cheap. Too undignified. The book was the result of my creative toil—a deeply personal process for any artistic person—so I couldn’t bear to just chuck ‘em away. Writing, on one level, is a kind of magic, and it does not come easy for those of us who care about it.

But I could not let these typo-ridden works ever see the light of day again, either. So, they had to go, and I knew they had to go by fire, even though that thought evoked Nazi bonfires and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 and censorship and all sorts of things I abhor.

One thought comforted me: the proper way to dispose of a flag upon its retirement is to burn it. There is a secular sacredness to that kind of ceremony. I tried to approach the burning of my books—the fruits of my creative toil—with that same sort of solemnity.

I lit them up, and I watched them go, typos and all.

And I eagerly awaited the delivery of the new edition, which showed up safely on my porch just a few days later.

—Chris Mackowski, Ph.D.

Editor-in-Chief

The Seventh Annual Emerging Civil War Symposium at Stevenson Ridge will be held August 5-7, 2022, in Spotsylvania Virginia. Our theme this year matches up with our newest book release, Great What Ifs of the American Civil War. For instance:

·     What if Garry Adelman spoke about Gettysburg?

What if Gordon Rhea asked to come back and speak about the Overland Campaign?

·     What if Brian Matthew Jordan asked everyone to ask “What If”?

·     What if we crammed ten other historians into the weekend’s line-up?

The answers to these questions and more will be available for the price of just $225/ticket. You can find out more, or reserve your spot, at https://emergingcivilwar.com/2022-symposium/.

Neil Chatelain presented about his book Defending the Arteries of Rebellion at the Lincoln-Davis Civil War Round Table in Alsip, IL, on March 15 and at the Baton Rouge Civil War Round Table in Baton Rouge, LA, on March 18. ECW's own Sheritta Bitikofer was present at the Baton Rouge talk, as were several of Neil's family members (Neil and Sheritta are pictured, right). Additionally, Michigan War Studies Review recently reviewed Neil's Defending the Arteries of Rebellion, calling it a “detailed,” “fast-paced,” and “welcome study of the key actions taken by Confederates charged with guarding the Mississippi and its tributaries.”

Stephen Davis is once again writing for Jack Melton's splendid monthly newspaper, Civil War News (which regularly gives several pages to Emerging Civil War). His “Critic's Corner” in the March issue featured Thomas Cooper DeLeon's Four Years in Rebel Capitals (1890). The April issue covers the epistolary spat between Wade Hampton and Sherman over Confederates’ execution of “foragers.” Bud Robertson, in Civil War Times, tracked down one of Sherman's victims after Sherman threatened to shoot civilians in retaliation for any of his men killed by Rebels. The tombstone of James M. Miller, in Kershaw, Georgia, reads, “Killed in Retaliation March 2, 1865.”

Taking advantage of the warm weather and a desire for NC barbecue, Bert Dunkerly visited some Civil War sites around Kinston, New Bern, and Goldsboro, camping on the banks of the Neuse River. The CSS Neuse Museum in Kinston is outstanding!

From Meg Groeling: “Lots of CWRTs via Zoom & FB. I am getting a little better--LOL! Reviews keep coming in for First Fallen, and they are pretty good ones. If you haven't gotten a copy, do so: that's an order! Also “enjoying” all the military talk on the news, if talking about war can be said to be enjoyable. Maybe it is tossing around all those military terms? And petting cats—always time for that. Working on some stuff about Artemus Ward, Bill Arp, Petroleum Nasby—the Stephen Colberts of their time.”

One of those reviews came from Civil War Books and Authors, which “highly recommended” the book. “Though unabashedly celebratory, Groeling's narrative is never uncritical and is clearly supported by exhaustive research,” the lengthy review said. You can read the full review here: https://cwba.blogspot.com/2022/03/review-first-fallen-life-of-colonel.html

Steward Henderson spoke at the Prince William County History Symposium on March 26th, talking about the USCT in Prince William County. He’s been working with Fredericksburg Tourism to present a tour about John Washington and the escape of the 10,000 enslaved people during the first Union occupation of Fredericksburg in the spring of 1862. 

From Brian Jordan: In addition to The Great What Ifs of the American Civil War, co-edited with Chris Mackowski, I published a chapter on the wartime lives and postwar careers of regimental mascots in Earl Hess, ed., Animal Histories of the Civil War Era (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2022). I reviewed Lorien Foote's Rites of Retaliation for The Journal of Military History, spoke via Zoom to the Atlanta History Center, and recorded a conversation with John Lustrea for the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. 

Chris Kolakowski just published this article with the Air Force Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs, “Losing the Crown: Lessons from the Pre-1946 Royal Navy.” You can read the article here.

Chris also says the Wisconsin Veterans Museum is putting on a print show of Wisconsin veteran artists from now through Memorial Day. One of the featured artists is Kurz & Allison and their Civil War prints. For more information, visit www.wisvetsmuseum.com.

Chris Mackowski’s Decisions at Fredericksburg: The Fourteen Critical Decisions that Shaped the Battle received a review in issue 409 of Wargames Illustrated. Reviewer Neil Smith said the structure of the book suggests a new way for wargamers to think about the way they play their games.

Dave Powell finished the 18th annual "Seminar in the Woods" at Chickamauga, March 11-12. This year’s seminar including a bonus snowstorm and freezing temps. “Had about 50 folks on Friday, 27 on Saturday,” he laughs.

We’ve been eagerly awaiting this one for a while: The Great “What Ifs” of the American Civil War, co-edited by Chris Mackowski and Brian Matthew Jordan and published by Savas Beatie. Fourteen historians. Dozens of questions. Countless possibilities. Sit down with your best Civil War buddies, pour yourselves each a cold beverage, and maybe even light up some cigars—and let the armchair generalling begin!

These are not essays of counterfactual history. Instead, they invite readers to better understand what did happen by considering what might have happened. They resist the temptation of wishful thinking that so often comes with asking “What If” and instead challenge readers to ground themselves in the facts rather than making assumptions. We promise, this collection will give you much to think about.

*    *    *

We’ll be switching up our popular “10 Questions” feature for a while by focusing on the work being done by some of our stalwart ECW “staff.” We have an outstanding cadre of contributors at ECW, but many of them go above and beyond their writing duties to help run the organization. We’re an all-volunteer crew, so we want to spotlight some of those great folks. ECW wouldn’t be possible without them.

To start, in commemoration of March’s Women’s History Month, we’d like to begin our series with managing Editor Sarah Kay Bierle, the woman who serves as the backbone of our day-to-day operations. You can read her full ECW bio here.

What does the job of managing editor involve?

Day-to-day scheduling for the ECW blog, with the aim to have at least two (sometimes three) posts per day. Coordinating blog series. Communicating almost daily with ECW members about ideas, posts, and scheduling. Working with the editorial committee as needed and coordinating efforts to get posts for certain topics. Welcoming and on-boarding new members. Researching new ideas for improving the website! Keeping an eye on the blog statistics and making reports to share with the board of directors. Trying to remember to go back and "like" and comment on published blog posts; I have this habit of reading the posts while they are in the drafts folders, really enjoying them, and then forgetting to publicly like/share/comment. It's a 2022 resolution to do better about that and be more visible in the comments section.

What is your favorite part about the job?

At this time, it's looking at a full schedule for the week and feeling grateful to see the work of other writers and editors coming together to make a fantastic offering of history for our readers. 

How did you work your way to become managing editor?

Is "by default" an answer? (laughs) Okay, here's the short version of the real story. A few months after I became a member, I was invited to join the editorial committee that reviews guest posts. Time passed, and I started chairing the editorial committee. Around that time, Dan Davis and I worked closely on the blog as co-managing editors. In 2018, when Dan joined the team at American Battlefield Trust, I became (promoted?) managing editor. I think it happened because I volunteer for extra work, but it has been worthwhile to see growth and changes over time. I really enjoy working with members and am working on new ways to improve the ECW member experience. Overall, the brand is in a strong place at the moment, and we're making some internal changes and more delegations of tasks, which should make ECW stronger. I'm excited that we've reached this place and have new opportunities to improve and grow.

What else do you do for ECW?

I serve on the board of directors, plot and plan with fellow members for the good of the order, help out with a lot of projects, answer questions, edit books for the ECW series occasionally, and co-chair the ECW Symposium with Jon-Erik Gilot.

Working on anything fun these days?

Still getting into the routine at my new "real job" with the Education Department at American Battlefield Trust and doing some late-night reading about the Revolutionary War! I love to take weekend day trips and explore new areas, museums, or hiking trails around Virginia—especially now that more places are opening again.

This is kind of for ECW, kind of for me: I'm FINALLY writing my Pelham biography manuscript. Also writing some blog posts about the 1862 Valley Campaign for ECW, but it makes me happy to be working on a Shenandoah Valley mini-project. In non-history news, I'm getting better at cooking Chinese food and baking French macarons! 

For anyone who might be interested in having you speak to their roundtable or historical group, what are your areas of expertise?

Definitely the Battle of New Market, and I have a few other Shenandoah Valley topics, too. There are some unique "human interest" presentations, including a highly popular Christmas 1862 program. There are two newer programs related to the Confederate cavalry: the 1862 Chambersburg Raid and the life/memory of John Pelham. Expect to see more presentations about horse artillery and Pelham's personal life coming in the next year or two. By the end of summer 2022, I'll be announcing the availability of two new presentations: one about Union General William Francis Bartlett and another about two artillerymen at Chancellorsville. Be sure to check the updated Speakers Bureau list when it releases later this year and also the Notes & News section of the ECW newsletter for the most up-to-date offerings in my presentation list. If you're interested in a presentation, always feel welcome to ask for details or inquire if I have a program that would fit your topic needs; sometimes I have something unlisted that might be a perfect fit for your group!

By Phill Greenwalt

March saw an unheralded but important command switch that altered the course of the war when Major General Nathanael Greene accepted, rather reluctantly at first, the quartermaster general position with the Continental army while it was encamped at Valley Forge in 1778. He did much to reverse the supply problems and untangle the mess left by his predecessor, Thomas Mifflin, who resigned in November 1777. Three years later, now back in a line command as the commander of the patriot force in the southern theater, Greene fought British General Lord Charles Cornwallis on March 15, 1781, in North Carolina at Guilford Courthouse. A pyrrhic victory for the British, Cornwallis would head to Wilmington, North Carolina and then eventually quit the Carolinas to march north to Virginia and to his destiny at Yorktown. 

Emerging Revolutionary War historian Mark Maloy filmed a Facebook Live video from Guilford Battlefield on March 12. Hop on over to ERW's Facebook page to see it. The video will also be posted to Emerging Revolutionary War's YouTube page. Mark also hosted an Irish-themed "Rev War Revelry" on March 20, which you can catch afterwards on the Facebook and YouTube pages. 

To learn more about Greene's role and how that helped shape the American army in 1778, secure your tickets to the 2022 Emerging Revolutionary War Bus Tour that will visit the sites attributed to Monmouth and Valley Forge from November 11-13, 2022. Details and how to secure your ticket can be found via a link on Emerging Revolutionary War at www.emergingrevolutionarywar.org.

Prior to that bus tour, on September 24, join Emerging Revolutionary War as we partner with Historic Alexandria to host a one-day symposium on the international implications of the American Revolution. Ticket information can also be found on www.emergingrevolutionarywar.org.

April

9th: Kristopher White, Chris Mackowski, Paige Gibbons Backus, Dan Welch, and Drew Gruber - Carnegie, PA Civil War Symposium **SOLD OUT**

16th: Jon-Erik Gilot, "John Brown's Raid," Ohio Valley Civil War Roundtable

21st: Chris Mackowski, "Grant's Last Battle," Hampton Roads Civil War Roundtable

26th: Chris Mackowski, "Strike Them a Blow: Battle Along the North Anna River," Hagerstown (MD) Civil War Roundtable.

May

2nd: Chris Mackowski, "Crossroads of Fire: The Battle of Chancellorsville," Rock River CWRT (via Zoom)

3rd: Phill Greenwalt, "If this Valley is Lost..." The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864, Brunswick Civil War Round Table

11th - 15th: American Battlefield Trust Annual Conference, Chantilly, VA

19th: Chris Mackowski, Hershey (PA) Civil War Roundtable

26th: Jon-Erik Gilot, "Dangerfield Newby's Fight for Freedom," Prince William County History Lecture Series, VA