Researching the census records for McNairy County, Tennessee helped me make the settings and characters of my novel, Until Shiloh Comes more believable.
Tag: Historical Fiction
The Art of the Mule Shoe
The desperate fighting at Spotsylvania on May 12, 1864 inspired several artists to record their impressions of that bloody day on canvas. (Look for next installment January 8, 2016.)
A Season in the Wilderness
Beyond the struggle for survival in battle, the Wilderness forced Michael Palmer, the protagonist in my novel, An Eye for Glory, to face the dark reality of how the war was changing him.
Manual of Arms Drill
Understanding what it took to load and fire a muzzle-loading rifled musket is a must if you want to write about any Civil War battle. This short video should help you visualize it better.
Civil War Traveler
Whether you’re thinking of touring only one Civil War site or several, the CivilWarTraveler website is the place to start. You will find lots of resources and information about lesser known sites that will make your trip more pleasant and beneficial.
Digging Vicksburg
The soft soil around Vicksburg made digging of the city’s extensive network of fortifications easier, but it also facilitated Union troops in building their own siege line and in undermining the Confederate works.
Pickett’s Charge
About 100 men of the 14th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry defended over 100 yards of the famous rock wall at Gettysburg during Pickett’s Charge. How did they do that?
Fall of the House of Windsor
The ruins of the Windsor mansion are certainly worth a short side trip if you happen to find yourself in the area of Port Gibson or Alcorn State University in Mississippi.
Books That Shaped a Novel
Here are four books that I relied on heavily to get the history correct in my novel “An Eye for Glory.”
A Knock on the Head
The Battle of Chancellorsville was the high point of the war for the Confederacy and perhaps the low point for the Union. Defeat caused leadership changes in the Army of the Potomac, and growing frustration and even anger within the ranks.