Regiments of the American Civil War introduction to the blog

 

            Whether your year has flown by or its slugged on and on, no one can deny that 2020 has been an unpredictable and uneasy year. Right off the bat, its an election year. November marks the calendars of voters across America as the first term of a tumultuous presidency under Donald Trump ends. In the spring, the world was slammed by COVID-19, and everyone, especially in the US, has been forced to adjust to a life of social distancing and quarantining.  The murders and abuse of black Americans by police officers has sparked protesting and rioting throughout both America and the world.

 

            Every election year has its ups and downs, 2020 chief among them. One cannot, however, fail to see the similarities to the Presidential Election of 1860. The nation was torn over the issue of slavery and an eruption was expected soon. It is easy to understand if you felt as if an eruption will happen today. When Illinois Republican Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16^th President, it finally drove the final wedge home in the division. Seven southern states seceded from December of 1860 through February 1^st, 1861. They would be the first states in the Confederate States of America. After Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, SC was ordered fired on by Confederate President Jefferson Davis, President Lincoln called for troops in April to stamp out the rebellion. Four more states, Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Tennessee joined the secession movement. This would set the stage for one of the most researched and discussed topics in our brief American History: The Civil War.

 

As the 160^th anniversary of the four-year conflict looms near, I struggle to find a single topic that I would like to share with people. There is such a vast range of topics relating to the war due to numerous facts. In many historians’ minds, the Civil War was the first in the modern era of war. Trench warfare became a commonplace sight late into the Eastern Theater of war. The technology of weapons changed drastically so that men with repeating Spencer carbines that could spit out 14-20 rounds per minute were fighting men with their old muskets. These are just a few of the reasons this war began the modern age, but each could be elaborated on extensively which is not what I will be doing here.

 

I have always been interested in the stories of the soldiers and the units they fought with. Unfortunately, when researching, it can be tough to find information. Some regiments have regimental histories or other books written about them. They provide detailed information about the men who fought in that units ranks and other details of said unit. However, many have no such histories.  This frustration at a lack of info has motivated me to start this blog, where I intend on covering two to four regiments a week. I will provide some information on the formation of the unit, follow the unit through the war, talk about the famous faces of the regiment and include any details or facts that are relevant or better tell the story of the regiment. When possible, I will add pictures and personal stories or narratives. I will do at least one Union regiment and one Confederate regiment a week. I do not have a particular order for the regiments discussed, though this could be up to some change. This isn’t intended to be a definitive history of any of the units, though there is definitely some wiggle room depending on the circumstances, but rather I hope it will be a starting point for amateur scholars and students who are researching the war, their ancestors, or anything else pertaining to this blog.

 

This is my first attempt at a Civil War blog, so I ask that if you join me on this journey, bear with me while I adjust myself and feel free to comment with anything. Criticism is accepted with open arms as it will better this project in the future. I am Calvin Keinath and this is Regiments of the American Civil War.