Update: Within thirty minutes of posting I was contacted by the editor of a major university press: “Let’s talk.” I take this as a positive sign. Stay tuned.

The other day I outlined the final chapter of my book on Confederate body servants and the myth of the black Confederate soldier. The chapter focuses specifically on the rise and spread of this narrative leading to and especially through the sesquicentennial years. It’s by far the most interesting chapter and will likely be a good deal of fun to write. As you might imagine the chapter borrows heavily from this blog, which over the years has offered the most sustained critique of this myth that you will find anywhere on the Internet. [click to continue…]

Update: Producer/director Chris Wheeler responds to this post.

The good folks at Great Divide Pictures were kind enough to send me a complimentary copy of their forthcoming series, Civil War: The Untold Story, which tells the story of the war in the West. I’ve watched the first two episodes on Shiloh and skimmed the rest. Overall, it’s a solid production. The digital maps are well done and the reenacted battle scenes are entertaining. The narrative effectively weaves together a big picture of the cause of the war and its various stages with focused coverage of both the strategic and tactical decisions in the field. Stories about individual soldiers, civilians, and slaves drive home the human experience. So, overall the series is well worth watching. [click to continue…]

Nathan Bedford Forrest made a fortune selling slaves before the war. So, isn’t it fitting that the final act in the changing of the name of Forrest Park in Memphis, Tennessee could very well involve a sale. [click to continue…]

Just a quick reminder that I will be speaking in the following places this month. On March 15 I will be speaking, along with Stephen Engel, Gordon Rhea, Eric Wittenberg, Brian S. Wills, at Longwood University’s annual Civil War seminar. Looking forward to seeing friends in Virginia. [click to continue…]