Friday, August 28, 2026

If you fuze, you may not lose. Tiny artillery components exhibited at the National Civil Naval Museum provide proof of ingenuity in small packages

›
Many Civil War artillery shells featured fuzes that were inserted into the top of the round. They increased reliability and reduced failures...
Monday, August 24, 2026

At Vicksburg, woven gabions were used to build trenches and protect soldiers. A new retaining wall there features a modern version to prevent further road washouts

›
Grant Circle retaining wall, detail of mesh and stone gabions (NPS); old ones at Battery Hickenlooper (Library of Congress) A giant new reta...
Wednesday, August 19, 2026

The bedridden Widow Henry was killed by artillery fire in the chaos of First Manassas. The park now has her drop-leaf table that was struck by two bullets

›
Bullet damage along top of leaf and on pedestal (Manassas NBP) and ruins of home (Library of Congress) The drums of war were beating in Wash...
Sunday, August 16, 2026

History investigators: College class is focusing on the stories of the enslaved people at Dawkins House in Union, S.C. The home to where the state's Civil War governor fled is being preserved

›
Shored-up house (Annie Smith/USC Union), 1850 Dawkins slave schedule; interior door (Picket photo) A course that debuted Aug. 18 at the Univ...
Saturday, August 15, 2026

Tattooed sailors off Fort Fisher: Talk will focus on the history of the art, designs popular during the Civil War and where ink was placed on the body (even there!)

›
19th century tattoo designs (Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library, Tattoo Pattern Books ) Ah, sailors and tattoos. They go so well together...