Top 10 Civil War Blogs

Yesterday I was asked to contribute a guest post for Blogs.com: The Best in Blogs of what I consider to be the 10 best Civil War blogs.  It hasn’t been published yet, but here is a preview of the list in no particular order.

1. A. Lincoln Blog [http://alincolnblog.blogspot.com/] Brian Dirck is a well-respected Lincoln scholar who uses his blog to share both his ongoing research projects as well as commentary on Lincoln and popular culture.  His blog has been quite insightful this year as the nation commemorates Lincoln’s Bicentennial.

2. Cenantua’s Blog [http://cenantua.wordpress.com/] Robert’s Moore’s site is by far the most intellectually stimulating blog in the Civil War blogosphere. He reminds us that Southern heritage and memory is much bigger and more interesting than the narrow contours of the Lost Cause.

3. Civil War Books and Authors [http://cwba.blogspot.com/] Stay on top of the latest in Civil War publishing with Drew Wagenhoffer’s invaluable blog.  Drew not only reviews titles from popular and scholarly publishers, but also reviews a wide range of self-published studies that often go unnoticed.

4. Civil War Bookshelf [http://cwbn.blogspot.com/] Dimitri Rotov’s blog is one of the oldest and while I don’t always agree with his commentary his posts are always thoughtful and sure to lead to a broader discussion across the Civil War blogosphere.  Hot topics include the state of Civil War publishing, George McClellan, and his somewhat curious disdain for what he calls the “Centennialist School” of history.

5. Civil Warriors [http://civilwarriors.net/wordpress/] Civil Warriors brings together three of the top historians in the field, including Mark Grimsley, Ethan Rafuse, and Brooks Simpson.  All three offer insight into their respective areas of interest as well as the process of serious scholarly research.

6. My Year of Living Rangerously [http://volunteersinparks.blogspot.com/] Have you ever wanted to work for the National Park Service on a Civil War battlefield?  The next best thing to being one might be to follow Mannie Gentile, who works as a seasonal ranger at the Antietam National Battlefield Park.   Mannie’s passion for the Civil War and love of nature make it clear as to why our battlefields must be preserved for future generations.

7. Renegade South [http://renegadesouth.wordpress.com/] Although a relatively new blog, Victoria Bynum has easily created her own niche in the Civil War blogosphere.  Renegade South is an extension of her own research and published work, most notably, The Free State of Jones and Unruly Women, which explore Southern dissent during the Civil War.

8. Rantings of a Civil War Historian [http://civilwarcavalry.com/] Eric Wittenberg’s interest focus mainly on Civil War cavalry and is one of the more prolific authors currently on the scene.  His site offers commentary on ongoing research projects as well as short biographical sketches of long lost cavalry officers.  Throw in a good rant every so often and you’ve got yourself an entertaining blog.

9. Bull Runnings [http://bullrunnings.wordpress.com/] Harry Smeltzer’s site is essentially an information hub for those interested in the First Battle of Manassas.  In addition to cataloging primary sources from the War of the Rebellion and Southern Historical Society Papers, Harry also offers commentary on a wide range of Civil War related topics.

10. Weirding the Civil War [http://weirdingthewar.com/index.php?blog=2]  This site is somewhat experimental in that it is being used by a group of historians who are preparing essays for publication on narrow topics that challenge aspects of the standard Civil War narrative.  It’s a wonderful example of how blogs can be used by historians to communicate with one another as well as the general public.

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9 comments… add one
  • tim woods Nov 15, 2012 @ 22:28

    The Civil War offers endless opportunities for discourse and debate. I thank all the contributors for their passion and scholarship.

    We can disagree, but let’s do it respectfully and without going to war.

  • Kevin Levin May 4, 2009 @ 2:34

    I should be the one thanking all of you for continuing to push me to better understand our past.

  • Robert Moore May 3, 2009 @ 17:21

    Thanks for the inclusion in the list, Kevin. I too appreciate being in a list with some really fantastic CW blogs.

  • Victoria Bynum May 2, 2009 @ 18:18

    Kevin, I will just echo Eric Wittenberg’s words and thank you for the honor of being included among such worthies as these.

    Vikki Bynum

  • Eric Wittenberg May 2, 2009 @ 12:29

    Thank you for the compliment, Kevin. I really appreciate being included in such good company.

    Eric

  • Michael Lynch May 2, 2009 @ 8:35

    I think these are fantastic choices. I don’t always agree with Mr. Rotov, either, but his blog is always stimulating and thoughtful, which is a good thing. Sometimes the best blogs are the ones that get people riled up.

    I seem to recall some pretty riled-up commenters popping up on another ACW blog from time to time. . .

    –ML

  • Don Shaffer May 2, 2009 @ 6:22

    Dear Kevin: Why not include your website in the Top 10? Admirable, but misplaced modesty?

    • Kevin Levin May 2, 2009 @ 6:31

      LOL…don’t worry Don. My blog will be featured at the beginning of the list with a brief bio. sketch.

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