Military

In 1865, conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker had retired from the sideshow life and were running a plantation in North Carolina when Eng was suddenly drafted to serve as a soldier in the Civil War. The Thailand natives were living in Traphill, North Carolina as naturalized citizens when the Union army raided the area … Read more

General Thomas Jonathan Stonewall Jackson is an iconic Confederate general and is considered by many to be one of the best generals in the Civil War. According to various sources, Stonewall Jackson had a number of strange habits, one of them being that he often walked around with his hand in the air to balance … Read more

The Confederate Civil War submarine, the H.L. Hunley was completely unveiled for the first time earlier this month after a decade of repairs and restoration work on the vessel. First raised from the ocean floor near Charleston, South Carolina in 2000, the 42 foot long submarine has been partially obscured from the public eye while … Read more

Although most Civil War soldiers were between 18 and 39 years old, many young children also fought in the war. It is estimated that at least 100,000 Union soldiers were boys under 15 years old and about 20 percent of all Civil War soldiers were under 18. Since soldiers had to be at least 18 … Read more

Albert Woolson was a former Union drummer boy and the last surviving Civil War veteran. Born in Antwerp, NY on February 11 in 1847, he died at the age of 109 on August 2 in 1956 in Duluth, Minnesota. Although other men, such as Walter Williams, John Salling and William Lundy, died after Woolson and … Read more

The Battle of Antietam was one of the bloodiest single day battles of the Civil War. Taking place near Sharpsburg, Maryland on Sept 17, 1862, it was also the first battle to occur on northern soil. During the battle, 38,000 Confederate troops led by General Robert E. Lee, clashed with 75,000 Union troops led by … Read more

The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the bloodiest Civil War battles. This three-day-long battle is considered by many to be a major turning point in the Civil War. The battle was fought on July 1, 2 and 3 of 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania between troops led by General Robert E. Lee and General George … Read more

Robert E. Lee was a distinguished Confederate general in the Confederate Army who bravely led his troops against the Union army until his defeat at the Appomattox courthouse in April of 1865. Lee was born into a wealthy, prominent Virginia family on January 19, 1807 at Stratford Hall Plantation. His father, Henry Lee III, was … Read more

Robert Newton Ford was an outlaw from Missouri born on January 31, 1862. Like many young Missouri men of his time, he grew up admiring the Civil War record and exploits of the famous bandit, Jesse James, a fellow Missouri native. Robert, who went by the nickname Bob, and his older brother Charles, finally got … Read more