In the civil war, the commander of the Union “lightning brigade” personally took out a loan to buy his soldiers advanced new repeating rifles because the government would not supply them. Using the firepower advantage afforded by the new rifles, his brigade proved extremely effective in combat.
American Civil War
The Civil War prison camp Elmira had two observation…
The Civil War prison camp Elmira had two observation towers constructed for onlookers. Citizens paid 15 cents to look at the inmates. Concession stands by the towers sold peanuts, cakes, and lemonade while the men inside starved.
The last surviving Civil War veteran…
The last surviving Civil War veteran lived long enough to have seen television.
The Kingdom of Hawaii declared itself neutral during…
The Kingdom of Hawaii declared itself neutral during the American Civil War. Despite that decree, many native Hawaiians enlisted anyway.
In 1861 a slave took over a confederate ship…
In 1861 a slave took over a confederate ship and delivered it to the Union. He was then given the ship to command during the Civil War.
There are currently living children of Civil War Veterans…
There are currently living children of Civil War Veterans 150 years after the war, who can still recall their fathers’ war stories.
A man stayed drunk during the entire…
A man stayed drunk during the entire Civil War to avoid being drafted.
More than 60% of the Confederacy’s war finance came from printing money…
More than 60% of the Confederacy’s war finance came from printing money, which, along with bad military news, caused prices to increase 92 times over in the South during the American Civil War.
The man who wrote the documents of surrender signed by Confederate general Robert…
The man who wrote the documents of surrender signed by Confederate general Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Courthouse on this day in 1865 was a Seneca Indian named Ely Parker (born Hasanoanda). Upon meeting him Lee extended his hand and said, “I am glad to see one real American here.”
Diarrhea was the leading cause of death …
Diarrhea was the leading cause of death among soldiers in the American Civil War. And soldiers had a code of honor against shooting at someone who was pooping.