This Mighty Scourge

Today marks the start of the Battle of Second Manassas.  Fought on the same ground as the opening battle of the Civil War, thirteen months earlier, Second Manassas was a sanguinary battle.  To read more about the battle check out the article I wrote last year:

Battle of Second Manassas – The Fields Again Turn Red

The United States Military Academy at West Point is steeped in tradition.  Originally established as headquarters for General George Washington in 1779 it was quickly recognized as a strategic position for the Colonial Army as it provided a commanding view of the Hudson River.  Fortress West Point would never be captured by the British.

As the oldest continuously occupied military post in America, West Point has seen its share of famous officers walk its halls.  President Thomas Jefferson would sign legislation in 1802 establishing the United States Military Academy.  Many of the most able general officers of the Civil War would graduate from the academy including Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, James Longstreet, Thomas J. Jackson and William T. Sherman.

Often referred to as Post Cemetery, West Point Cemetery graces the Hudson River Highlands.  Beautiful views of the Hudson River can be seen from the rolling grounds.  Established in 1817, West Point Cemetery is the final resting place for over 8,000 soldiers and family members.  Within the confines of the cemetery are soldiers from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, Civil War, Spanish American War and both World Wars.

I had the opportunity to visit West Point Cemetery several weeks ago.  For someone with an interest in Civil War U.S. Army officers a visit to this cemetery is amazing.  Many of the Civil War officers are buried in Section 26.  The graves are nearly on top of each other with John Buford and George Sykes buried within feet of each other.  The weather for my visit was a beautiful, but incredibly hot.  With an intense sunshine back-lighting much of the cemetery, it was a challenge for me to get quality pictures.  I wished I had brought my stronger flash as I could have used flash fill to improve some of the shots.  To view my photo essay on West Point Cemetery click on the following link:

Mike’s West Point Cemetery Photo Essay at Flickr

This past Friday, July 30, marks the 146th anniversary of the Battle of the Crater.  It would prove a debacle for Ulysses S. Grant while he tried to break Robert E. Lee’s lines in front of Petersburg, Virginia.  Federal soldiers would be annihilated as they became stuck in the crater – the aftermath of a mine explosion under the Confederate works.

To read my article, from last year’s anniversary of the battle, click HERE.

I had the opportunity to visit Lexington, Virginia in May 2010.  Lexington is a beautiful town located in the upper (southern) Shenandoah Valley.  Home of Washington and Lee University, Lee Chapel, Lieutenant General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson‘s home and the Virginia Military Institute it is well worth the drive if you find yourself in western Virginia.  While no major Civil War battles were fought within Lexington, it did witness much destruction when US Major General David Hunter was raiding the upper Shenandoah Valley during the summer of 1864.  During his raid, he would burn much of the Virginia Military Institute – the military academy Jackson was a professor prior to the Civil War.

I was fortunate that the weather was fantastic for my visit to historic Lexington.  I visited Jackson’s home, Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery, Washington and Lee University, Lee Chapel (Robert E. Lee‘s final resting place) and the Virginia Military Institute.  Unfortunately, photography is not allowed in the Jackson home, or Lee Chapel.  I did bend the rules slightly and took a couple of pictures in Lee Chapel.  Check out the pictures by clicking on the following link.

Mike’s Photo Essay on Lexington, Virginia

Enjoy!

Today is the 146th anniversary of the Battle of Yellow Tavern – and the mortal wounding of Confederate Major General James Ewell Brown “J.E.B.” Stuart.  Stuart, whom historian Eric J. Wittenberg considers the “best cavalry commander ever sired in the United States,” had commanded the Army of Northern Virginia’s mounted arm since the Peninsula Campaign.  Commanding general Robert E. Lee would rely on Stuart to provide accurate intelligence on the Federal Army of the Potomac and to screen the movements of his army.  His death would be produce mourning in the Confederacy not seen since the death of Lieutenant General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson nearly a year earlier.

With the promotion of Ulysses S. Grant, to lieutenant general commanding all U.S. ground forces, in March 1864, the complexion of fighting in the east would drastically change.  Grant would replace his cavalry corps commander, Major General Alfred Pleasanton, with Major General Philip H. Sheridan.  Sheridan had earned his “stars” commanding infantry in the western theater and was a hard fighter.  Grant’s command structure would have his new cavalry commander reporting to Major General George Gordon Meade, commander of the Army of the Potomac.  During the Overland Campaign, Sheridan would struggle with Meade who was accustomed to using his cavalry to guard his supply train and on scouting missions.  Wanting to be used in an offensive capacity, against his Confederate adversary, Sheridan would appeal to Grant to turn him loose behind Lee’s lines.  Grant would acquiesce, much to Meade’s dismay.  While Grant was battering Lee at Spotsylvania Court House, Sheridan would ride south with his cavalry corps in search of Stuart.  He would find him on the afternoon of May 11 at the abandoned inn at Yellow Tavern – approximately six miles north of Richmond.  While Sheridan had over twice as many troopers, Stuart’s three cavalry brigades made a valiant effort to prevent the Federals from breaking through their lines.  During the fight the 1st Virginia Cavalry would charge the Federal lines causing Colonel Russell Alger’s 5th Michigan Cavalry to bolt for the rear.  Stuart, always leading from the front, would be shot a close range by John A. Huff, a former sharpshooter.  Shot through the side, with the bullet tearing through his stomach, Stuart would be removed to Richmond where he would die on May 12.  The fight at Yellow Tavern would continue for an hour after Stuart’s wounding with CSA Major General Fitzhugh Lee taking command.  Sheridan’s numerical superiority would prove too much and he push south towards Richmond, never piercing the city’s outer defenses.

The Battle of Yellow Tavern permanently changed the complexion of the Confederate Cavalry.  No longer would they out soldier their Federal adversary.  With J.E.B. Stuart’s death the fighting elan of the Confederate mounted arm was diminished, depriving Robert E. Lee of arguably the best cavalry commander to ever fight in America.  Stuart is a true American HERO.

On this day, one hundred forty-seven hears ago, US Major General Joseph Hooker put his Army of the Potomac in motion.  With flowering trees in full bloom, and spring temperatures warming the days, the 1863 campaign season had opened.  After assuming command of the Army of Potomac, in January 1863, Hooker had implemented many changes to his army.  While in winter camp near Falmouth, Virginia Hooker worked diligently to raise the morale of his men, granting much needed furloughs and instituting badges for each army corps so the soldiers could proudly be identified by their corps.  By March the morale in the Army of the Potomac had been significantly improved.

Hooker’s operational plans for the upcoming campaign were well devised and provided a terrific opportunity for success against CSA General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.  Leaving US Major General John Sedgwick’s VI Corps at Fredericksburg, to deceive Lee of his true intentions, Hooker planned to march his remaining six infantry corps northwest of Fredericksburg, crossing the Rappahannock River at U.S. and Ely’s fords.  From there he would push south falling on Lee’s left flank and rear, preventing him from escaping towards Richmond.  Additionally, Hooker sent his cavalry corps, commanded by US Brigadier General George Stoneman, on a long circuitous route around Lee’s army to destroy his communications and provide an additional layer of of support to prevent Lee from escaping south.  According to Civil War scholar, Ernest B. Furgurson, “Hooker had sent most of his cavalry away from the battle; what was left was misused, and ignored when it did show initiative.”(i)  This would prove to be the undoing of Hooker.  While his plan confused Lee to his true intentions, Hooker was operating blindly.  Lee, in perhaps his best performance as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, would split his smaller army not once, but twice, in front of an army that had a two to one numerical advantage.  On May 2 Lee sprung his own trap sending CSA Lieutenant General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s 2d Corps on a long flanking march to fall on the right flank of Hooker’s army.  The surprise was complete, pushing US Major General Oliver O. Howard’s XI Corps more than two miles towards Chancellorsville.  On May 3 Hooker consolidated his position around the Chancellor tavern giving up the high ground held by US Major General Daniel Sickles’ III Corps at Hazel Grove.  This also proved disastrous as Lee’s artillery would use the high ground to pound the Federal position. 

Meanwhile, Hooker had ordered Sedgwick to dislodge CSA Major General Jubal A. Early’s 2d Corps division from Marye’s Heights at Fredericksburg.  While Early’s division was significantly outnumbered, he was able to delay Sedgwick’s advance long enough for CSA Brigadier General Cadmus Wilcox to establish a trap at Salem Church, just east of Chancellorsville.  Arrayed in the woods, along the Orange Turnpike, Wilcox would halt Sedgwick’s VI Corps in their tracks as they were marching along the pike.  After the bloody fight at Salem Chuch, Sedgwick, like Hooker, consolidated his corps along the Rappahannock River at Scott’s Ford.  Having left Fredericksburg uncovered, Early marched his division back to his trenches on Marye’s Heights cutting off Sedgwick’s retreat route.  This essentially ended any opportunity Hooker had to defeat Lee.  No longer willing or able to take the offensive Hooker would retreat across the Rappahannock River in the overnight hours of May 5.

Chancellorsville would prove fatal to Hooker’s ambition.  He would be removed from command of the Army of the Potomac in June.  Suffering nearly 14,000 casualties at the Battle of Chancellorsville it be one of the worst defeats the Federal army would suffer in the eastern theater.  Lee’s army was also badly mauled, suffering approximately 10,000 casualties.  However, Lee’s most significant loss was Thomas Jackson.  The great Stonewall would be wounded during the May 2 flank attack.  Scouting between the lines, Jackson would be shot by one of his own soldiers while returning to his lines.  The wound, in itself not fatal, would require the amputation of his left arm.  While recovering, at Guinea Station, Jackson would contract pneumonia and die on May 10, 1863.

For a more complete narrative on the Battle of Chancellorsville, refer to the article I wrote last year: The Battle of Chancellorsville – Joe Hooker’s Legacy.

(i) Furgurson, Ernest B., Chancellorsville 1863: The Souls of the Brave, published by Vintage Civil War Library in 1993, Pg. 161.

Colonel Robert E. Lee had served in the U.S. Army his entire adult life. Graduating from West Point in 1829, Lee would serve in the Army Engineer Corps. He would be in charge of many coastal projects and an ambitious project to keep the channel of the Mississippi River on Missouri side at St. Louis.

Lee would serve on the staff of General Winfield Scott during the Mexican War, taking part in battles from Veracruz to Mexico City. Serving with distinction throughout the war he would receive several brevet promotions to colonel. After the Mexican War he would revert back to his previous rank of captain in the engineering corps.

In 1852 Lee would become superintendent of West Point. In this role he would be in charge of the education of many of the young recruits he would either command or fight against during the American Civil War.

In 1855 Lee would be sent west, receiving a significant promotion to lieutenant colonel of the newly formed 2d U.S. Cavalry. In this assignment Lee would serve under Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston to help protect frontier settlers from Indian attacks. Sidney Johnston would become the second highest ranking general officer in the Confederate Army before he was killed on April 6, 1862 at the Battle of Shiloh.

In October 1857 Robert E. Lee would return to his wife’s family’s estate, Arlington, when his father-in-law, George Wash Parke Custis, died. As executor of his will, Lee had much work ahead of him to return the sprawling estate to a firm financial position. During this leave from his duties with the 2d Cavalry, Lee would lead a detachment to put down John Brown’s raid at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.

Lee would return to his cavalry post, in Texas, and would be there when Texas seceded from the Union in February 1861. Still a devout Union man, Lee would be captured before returning to Washington City in March 1861, where he would be appointed colonel of the 1st U.S. Cavalry. Ironically, Lee’s commission to the colonelcy of the 1st Cavalry was signed by the newly sworn in president -Abraham Lincoln.

Three weeks after Lee received his commission he was offered a major generalcy in the rapidly expanding volunteer army of the United States. Knowing any movement against the newly formed Confederate States of America would inevitably go through his home state of Virginia, Lee resigned his U.S. Army commission on April 20, 1861. Returning to Virginia, Lee would await the decision of the Commonwealth on the secession issue. This would not take long as Virginia would secede quickly after the Confederate Provisional Army fired on Fort Sumter on April 12.

Lee would promptly be commissioned commander of all the state militia in Virginia. After the secession of Virginia, and the formation of the Confederate States Army, Lee would be promoted to one of five full generalcies created by the new Confederate States congress.

April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, CSA General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to US Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant

145 years ago today, after nearly four years of pitched fighting, the CSA Army of Northern Virginia ceased to exist.  General Robert E. Lee had led the army since June 1862 enjoying more victories than defeats.  Now he had to do something he could barely stomach – surrender his beloved army.  Meeting at Wilmer McClean’s house he received very lenient terms from U.S. Grant.  Lee, on his own, saved the country from future bloodshed by not endorsing Brigadier General Edward Porter Alexander’s plan to “take to the hills,” and fight a gorilla war.  Lee told his lieutenants that they needed to send their soldiers home to become good law abiding citizens.  Thus ended the Civil War in the east.

For a complete narrative on Lee’s surrender to Grant click HERE.

I recently finished reading Scott L. Mingus’ newest book, “The Louisiana Tigers in the Gettysburg Campaign: June-July 1863.”  I am a fan of Scott Mingus.  My first experience with one of his excellent narratives was a year  ago, when I read “Flames Beyond Gettysburg: The Gordon Expedition, June 1863.”  During a subsequent interview with Scott, published on this blog, I learned that Scott was working on a book on the Louisiana Tigers and their fight at East Cemetery Hill, on the second day of Gettysburg.  Several months ago, Scott sent me an email letting me know my copy of the book would soon be sent out.  Unfortunately, when I received the book, I had a lot of other things I was working on.  I was finally able to start reading it during late January. 

The book was worth the wait.  Scott provides a brief biography on Chatham R.  Wheat’s  1st Louisiana Battalion and the formation of the 1st Louisiana Brigade, better known as the Louisiana Tigers.  Another short biography follows on the brigade’s first commander, Harry T. Hays.  Hays, a wealthy New Orleans entrepreneur, was a logical choice to command the brigade as he was well connected and had experience in the military.  Hays would command the brigade until he was severely wounded at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in May 1863.  After recovering from his wounds he would be transferred to the trans-Mississippi theater where he would command the forces in Louisiana.

“The Louisiana Tigers” picks up the action after the Battle of Chancellorsville.  With CSA Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell’s 2d Corps in the van, as the Army of Northern Virginia marched for Pennsylvania, the men of his corps would inevitably see action.  Hays’ brigade was part of CSA Major General Jubal A. Early’s Division of the 2d Corps.  Choosing to use the Shenandoah Valley to screen his army’s movements, CSA General Robert E. Lee needed to clear the valley of Federal resistance.  US Major General Robert H. Milroy’s garrison was at Winchester, Virginia, with parts of his division garrisoned at Berryville and Martinsburg.  With the 2d Corps leading the march north, they would be the first infantry to arrive south of Winchester.  Encountering the Federal forces south of Winchester, Ewell’s soldiers quickly pushed them back to the defenses of Winchester.  On June 14, 1863, during the Battle of Second Winchester, Ewell was able to make one of he more spectacular, often overlooked, flank marches during the entire Civil War.  With a mountain screening his movements, and timber on the mountain hiding his rapidly assembling force, Ewell was able to surprise the Federal garrison at Winchester, pushing them towards Harpers Ferry.  Hays’ Tigers took a prominent role in the fighting at Second Winchester and Mingus provides an excellent narrative of the battle.

Mingus next leads the reader on a journey with the Tigers to Pennsylvania.  The primary source material that the author was able to locate makes you feel like you are marching with the Tigers.  This is not a “pro Tiger” book.  The author does not fail to provide balance in his writing and he is quick to note the trepidations the Louisiana soldiers turned loose on the northern populace.  These human interest stories, involving the interactions of the Louisianans with the civilian population of Pennsylvania, make the book a real page turner.  Mingus adroitly weaves the compelling stories of the soldiers with the well written battlefield narratives.

Before attaining their objective - the capture of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania - Ewell’s 2d Corps was ordered back to the rest of the army near Cashtown, or Gettysburg, whichever circumstances required.  On July 1, the 2d Corps would hear artillery and musketry coming from the Gettysburg area.  Early would quickly march his division to the sounds of fighting, reaching the area of present day Barlow’s Knoll, in time to participate in the fight against US Major General O.O. Howard’s XI Corps.  By the end of the day, the Tigers were positioned on the north side of Gettysburg, facing the I and XI corps positioned on East Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill.  The stage was set for a significant engagement on July 2.  The action during these first two days of fighting, at Gettysburg, jumps off the pages as you read the book.  The imagery Mingus paints, through his prose, provides a clear picture of what it was like to be a Tiger, facing the Federal forces arrayed on East Cemetery Hill.  The author’s description of the fight for Cemetery Hill is detailed and provides enough action for any serious Civil War student.  At the end of the narrative, of the second day’s fight, Mingus challenges the reader to understand the missed opportunities the 2d Corps did not exploit.  Hays’ Louisiana Tigers had provided one of the best opportunities to change the course of the Battle of Gettysburg – and perhaps the outcome of the three day fight.

On March 1, I was able to have a talk with Scott.  This talk reveals that Mingus is an expert historian on the Gettysburg Campaign.  He provides a great deal of information on the Louisiana Tigers and their battlefield exploits at Second Winchester and Gettysburg.  It was a lively discussion and one I am confident you will enjoy listening to.  If you have not purchased Scott’s book “Flames Beyond Gettysburg,” I highly recommend that you do so.  The book covers the Confederate 2d Corps’ early movements into Pennsylvania and their attempt to capture the state capital.  Each book stands well by itself, and you can read them in any order.  “The Louisiana Tigers,” published by LSU Press, is a must read for any serious Civil War student – or anyone with an interest in the Battle of Gettysburg.  I recommend that you pick up both books and strap yourself in for a magnificent journey, with Scott Mingus as your tour guide.

Details about “The Louisiana Tigers in the Gettysburg Campaign”
Written by: Scott L. Mingus, Sr.
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Louisiana State University Press
Date of First Edition: October 15, 2009
ISBN-10: 0807134791

Scott L. Mingus, Sr. Interview – 12 Parts
Total Time: 1 hour 16 minutes 57 seconds
* Note: Scott’s audio is a little quiter than I would have liked.  It would be helpful to listen to this interview on external speakers or with earphones.

Part 1:

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Time: 6:49
Contents: Welcome and introductions | Why write about the Louisiana Tigers? | Recap on Scott’s recent book, “Flames Beyond Gettysburg | What about those Louisiana Tigers?! – “Ferocious, Fearless, Powerful, Determined, Unyielding, Untamed.” | About the First Louisiana Brigade’s commander, Harry T. Hays

Part 2:

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Time: 6:43
Contents: The Tigers feared by Federal troops and Confederate civilians | Hays’ Louisiana Tigers at the Battle of Second Winchester, Virginia – was it one of the most successful flank marches for the Army of Northern Virginia?

Part 3:

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Time: 4:28
Contents: A discussion on the use of Dr. Bradley Gottfried’s maps on the Battle of Second Winchester | The use of first hand accounts and primary source material – did Scott experience any difficulties researching “The Louisiana Tigers?”

Part 4:

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Time: 7:09
Contents: The opening actions of the Gettysburg Campaign in Pennsylvania | Jubal Early’s Confederate 2d Corps Division marches towards their objective: Harrisburg | What? – the Louisiana Tigers behaving themselves in enemy territory?? | The “Tigers” begin to show their true colors | Jubal Early ransoms the city of York

Part 5:

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Time: 5:56
Contents: The Tigers go to work pillaging the Pennsylvania countryside | Confederate commanders turn a “blind eye” to pillaging | Lee orders Ewell’s 2d Corps back to Cashtown, Pennsylvania | Hays’ Tigers arrive at Gettysburg and the fight against the Federal XI Corps at Barlow’s Knoll and Coster’s brigade at the brickyard

Part 6:

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Time: 5:40
Contents: The Louisiana Tigers fight through the streets of Gettysburg | Robert E. Lee meets with Ewell, Early and Robert E. Rodes suggesting they consolidate the Army of Northern Virginia on Seminary Ridge – Early convinces Lee to keep the 2d Corps north of East Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill – How did this impact the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg?

Part 7:

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Time: 6:47
Contents: Mingus describes the tactical situation facing the 2d Corps on the morning of July 2 | What the Tigers faced on East Cemetery Hill | “Extra Billy” Smith’s Brigade is positioned east of Gettysburg to protect Early’s flank at East Cemetery Hill – how did this impact the tactical situation for the Louisiana Tigers? | With the artillery south of Gettysburg falling silent, signaling James Longstreet’s 1st Corps attack, the Federals on Cemetery Hill prepare for the Rebels to attack – Mingus’ description of the Federal preparations on East Cemetery Hill

Part 8:

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Time: 8:12
Contents: Avery’s North Carolinians initiate the attack on East Cemetery Hill | While Federal artillery rakes Avery’s brigade, the situation is different on Hays’ front | With darkness falling the Louisiana Tigers enter the battle | Hand-to-hand combat along the Federal line | Hays is forced to withdraw his First Louisiana Brigade – the soldiers’ reactions | A grand opportunity missed? | Where was Robert E. Rodes’ Division?

Part 9:

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Time: 7:16
Contents: Samuel Carroll’s Federal Gibraltar Brigade arrives on East Cemetery Hill in time to participate in the rout of Early’s Division | A discussion on Hays’ attack on East Cemetery Hill – could rapid support for Early’s attack changed the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg?

Part 10:

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Time: 6:25
Contents: The “no-man’s land” after Early’s attack – what the medics, chaplains and soldiers found | Sharpshooters on both sides were effective on July 3 – a testament to the effectiveness of the rifles at long range

Part 11:

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Time: 8:07
Contents: The Army of Northern Virginia begins its retreat to Virginia | The suffering continues for the Louisiana Tigers in field hospitals – what was their longterm plight? | The Louisiana Tigers receive praise for their actions at Second Winchester and Gettysburg | Hays promoted to division command and the last two years of service for the Tigers

Part 12:

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Time: 3:25
Contents: Scott’s future projects | Wrap up and closing

**********************************************************

Details about “Flames Beyond Gettysburg: The Gordon Expedition, June 1863”
Written by: Scott L. Mingus, Sr.
Paperback: 624 pages
Publisher: Ironclad Publishing
Date of First Edition: March 2009
ISBN-10: 0967377080

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
* For my review on “Flames Beyond Gettysburg,” including an interview with Scott Mingus, click HERE.

Happy 2010!  We have much to look forward to in the coming year.  But let us take a quick look at what happened in 2009.  According to Time magazine, the Top 10 ten news stories of 2009 were:

10. The end of Sri Lanka’s Civil War

9. H1N1 – The Swine Flu

8. Mexico’s Bloody Drug War

7. Pakistan: On the Verge of Breakdown

6. The Death of Michael Jackson

5. Massacre at Fort Hood

4. The Divisive Debate Over Healthcare Reform

3. Iran’s Tumultuous Election and Its Aftermath

2. Afghanistan: Can the U.S. Avoid a Quagmire?

1. America’s Economic Crisis

While most news stories, that would make an annual Top 10 list, are going to involve bloodshed, or death, two of last year’s top stories, at Time magazine, did not: “The Divisive Debate Over Healthcare Reform” and “America’s Economic Crisis.”  Obviously these stories will continue to make news headlines over the coming year.

After reading Time Magazine’s Top 10 list of news stories for 2009, I decided to assemble my own list.  The Top 10 most popular articles on This Mighty Scourge for 2009.  While totally unscientific, it certainly points out which articles my readers liked the most.  As I have done in previous lists, I have left out the articles on the Wilderness Wal-Mart, and other “calls to action,” as they always tend to enjoy a huge spike with little follow-up readership after a couple of days.  My top 10 list for 2009 are articles that have enjoyed consistent readership over long periods during the year.  If you haven’t read all of these articles, they are each hyperlinked so you can do so today.

2009 Top 10 List of Articles on This Mighty Scourge

10. Interview with James A. Hessler, author of “Sickles at Gettysburg” (Click HERE to Read)

9. The Battle of the Crater (Click HERE to Read)

8. Interview with Sally Jenkins & John Stauffer co-authors of “The State of Jones.” (Click HERE to Read) This article has been quite controversial and has been picked up by many news outlets due to the ongoing bickering between Stauffer & Jenkins and Vikki Bynum.

7. Gettysburg National Military Park – A Study in Contrasts (Click HERE to Read)

6. Interview with J. David Petruzzi, author of “The Complete Gettysburg Guide” (Click HERE to Read)

5. Antietam – One Bloody Day in September 1862 (Click HERE to Read)

4. Andersonville Prison – A Photo Essay and History (Click HERE to Read)

3. The Fighting 69^th New York Infantry and the Irish Brigade (Click HERE to Read)

2. Interview with Earl J. Hess, author of “In the Trenches at Petersburg” (Click HERE to Read)

1. Interview with Jim Lighthizer, President of the Civil War Preservation Trust (Click HERE to Read)

It should be noted that a few articles had very impressive finishes, reaching the top 10 list over the past couple of weeks.  Obviously articles that were published earlier in the year, had more time to gain readership.  For those of you interested in the articles that round out the top 20, on This Mighty Scourge, continue reading.  It’s interesting to note, that my mid-December article, on the Battle of Fredericksburg, came in at 14.  A very respectable position for only being available for two weeks.

Filling Out the Top 20 at This Mighty Scourge

11. The Battle of Chancellorsville – Joe Hooker’s Legacy (Click HERE to Read)

12. William T. Sherman – US Major General (Click HERE to Read)

13. Second Manassas – Again the Fields Turned Red (Click HERE to Read)

14. Battle of Fredericksburg – Ambrose Burnside’s First Foray (Click HERE to Read)

15. Robert E. Lee, General – CSA (Click HERE to Read)

16. Battle of the Wilderness – Grant Takes it to Lee (Click HERE to Read)

17. Robert E. Lee Surrenders the Army of Northern Virginia (Click HERE to Read)

18. Wilson’s Creek – the Civil War Breaks Out in the West (Click HERE to Read)

19. Interview with Scott L. Mingus, Sr. – Author of “Flames Beyond Gettysburg” (Click HERE to Read)

20. Albert Sidney Johnston – CSA General (Click HERE to Read)

Thank you for making 2009 a successful year at This Mighty Scourge!

Mike Noirot

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