CIVIL WAR GAMING: Possible Return of PC Game “Civil War General” in the Works!

The first article in our newest section, Civil War Gaming, which will look at past, current, and up and coming games inspired by the American Civil War. The first is a look at a game currently in development, and how you can help get it made.

The Original Game

Back in 1996, I was walking around our local Best Buy store when I came across a game called Robert E. Lee: Civil War General. I didn’t know much about the game, but being an avid student of the American Civil War (Even at the age of 12), I was very intrigued by the idea of a Civil War Strategy game. And since I had enough from my allowance to get it, I purchased it. Turned out, it was a great buy! Although I did not get to play it much (My Dad hogged the game from me! He was more addicted to it than I was, LOL!), I thoroughly enjoyed playing these great Civil War battles, and trying my best to defeat the enemy (Which I rarely did).

The game became a classic for us, and as it turned out, for many others as well. The game was the best-selling Civil War Strategy Game of that year. Two years later, the sequel to that game, Civil War Generals 2: Grant, Lee, Sherman, was released, and was even more fun than the original, encompassing even more battles and scenarios than the previous one. Like its predecessor, CWG2 was the bestselling Civil War Game of 1998. Since that time, many have hoped that a third game in the series would be released. Now, it looks like that may become a reality, as a group of people are working to develop the long-awaited game. But first, the game makers need to raise the funding to get the game made. And this is where you can help!

The game, simply titled Civil War General, is currently in development by Jean Marciniak. It will feature all of the elements that made the first two games in the series so popular. However, the new game will feature cool and exciting new campaign elements, such as initiating political policies, engaging in diplomacy, using railroads, and conquering cities, and cutting off an enemies’ line of supply. The designers hope to have the game out in 2014, and available on PC, Mac and iPad. But first, the designers need to raise the budget for the game. And to do so, they are turning to Kickstarter for help.

The developers are hoping to raise $100,000 through the campaign. This will allow them to get the game created, and released to the general public. By doing this through Kickstarter, all the money raised will be done so through private contributions. For those who donate to the project, there will be great incentives for donating at various levels. But time is running out, and the developers need to raise the $100,000 needed within the next 37 days!

For more information on this project, visit the Official Kickstarter Page for Civil War General. Please consider contributing to the Kickstarter Campaign, and helping to get this long-awaited sequel created!

BOOK REVIEW: “The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson”

The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson: The Mortal Wounding of the Confederacy’s Greatest Icon (Emerging Civil War Series)

Authors: Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White (With Contribution by Steph Mackowski)

Publication: Savas Beatie Publishing (El Dorado Hills, California), 2013

It is considered by many to be the moment in the American Civil War that changed everything. On the evening of May 2nd, 1863, Confederate Lieutenant General Thomas Jonathan Jackson, the “Mighty Stonewall,” was wounded by friendly fire while doing reconnaissance following the greatest success of his career: the Flank Assault at Chancellorsville. The wounded Jackson was taken to a field hospital, where his left arm was amputated. Removed to safety at Guinea Station, his wounds appeared to be healing. But alas, pneumonia set in, and the General died eight days after he was shot. The events that transpired in the days before, and the years after, “Stonewall” Jackson’s death, are covered in the latest edition of the Emerging Civil War Series. Written by historians Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White, The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson: The Mortal Wounding of the South’s Greatest Icon, tells the story of this pivotal event in American history.

Mackowski and White have done thorough research into this story, presenting the wounding of Jackson, the dangerous journey to get him to a field hospital, the surgery, the removal to Guinea Station, and his subsequent death, in nearly-minute detail. But what sets this account apart from other tellings of the story is the fact that Mackowski and White are terrific writers. The work actually connects the reader personally to Jackson, making his wounding and subsequent death from pneumonia very emotional. This gives their work an emotional power that is rare for books on Civil War and American History.

But the book does not stop with the death and funeral of the Confederacy’s greatest icon. The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson also covers the curious story of Jackson’s amputated arm, as well as the decline and restoration of the exterior office building of the Chandler House at Guinea Station, where Jackson spent his final days. The efforts to preserve the building now known as the Stonewall Jackson Shrine is told in great detail, and the great writing keeps this part of the story from becoming dull and tedious.

In addition to the powerful main text, the authors have included several pages of appendices that readers will find incredible. From Jackson’s pre-war life in Lexington, Virginia, to memorializing the “Mighty Stonewall” in art, to exploding the greatest “What if…” of the war, the appendices offer readers even more information on Jackson and his life. But perhaps most fascinating and entertaining of all is the section “Stonewall Jackson in Memory,” which delves into the legend of the “lemon myth” that has stayed around Jackson ever since his death. The book also includes suggestions for further reading on the life of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.

As a student of Civil War history, I find The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson to be an invaluable addition to any Civil War library. The authors have written a fascinating and emotional account of the death of the man who was, to many in the South and the North, the greatest General the Confederacy had. The book includes additional information on Jackson, as well as some fantastic period and modern images related to Jackson and his life. If you are a student of this period of American history, or someone wishing to learn more about this tragic period, then this book is definitely a must-read. This book comes highly recommended!

Grade: 9.5/10, or A.

Help Historic Latta Plantation in Huntersville, NC!

For those of you who support historic preservation, here is an opportunity to help support an historic site in North Carolina that is in danger of losing a good portion of its funding!

A View of Historic Latta Plantation in Huntersville, NC.

Located in Huntersville, just north of Charlotte, Historic Latta Plantation is one of the state’s most treasured historic sites. Built in 1800 by James Latta, an Irish immigrant, the site was purchased by William Sample in 1853. The site has connections to the American Civil War, as several of Sample’s sons joined the Confederate Army as part of the 53rd North Carolina Infantry. In the 1970s, Latta Place, Inc. began to secure funding to restore the plantation house. The site opened in the later part of that decade. The site was then transferred to Mecklenburg County. Today, Historic Latta Plantation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the site’s rich history.

Today, the site is hosts over thirty different events, and several summer camps for children. Between 12 and 20,000 school children visit the location every year. The site also hosts an annual Civil War Reenactment, which draws hundreds of visitors each year. In addition, the site provides one of the most tranquil places you could ever visit. Except for the Visitor Center and the occasional airplane flying over, you would scarcely believe that you are in the 21st Century.

But now, Latta Plantation is in danger of losing its funding from Mecklenburg County due to proposed budget cuts. The site has only a handful of full-time staff to run the site, and has already had its funding cut drastically. If the county does go through with its plan to cut funding to the site, it would greatly hinder the site, and its continued programs.

A petition has been started to encourage the commissioners of Mecklenburg County to not cut its funding to Latta Plantation. I encourage everybody who is interested in saving this valuable piece of history to sign the petition. The link to the petition can be found here. And for more information, you can visit the official website to learn about the Latta Plantation, and why it is important not only to North Carolina history, but to overall American history as well. Please, do not hesitate. Help support this beautiful historic site today!

Thoughts on the Trailer for Ron Maxwell’s “Copperhead”

On June 28th, the weekend before the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, Ronald F. Maxwell, the acclaimed filmmaker who gave us two of the greatest Civil War epics ever made (1993′s Gettysburg, and the underrated 2003 prequel Gods and Generals), will release the film Copperhead. With this film, Mr. Maxwell returns to the Civil War era with a smaller, more personal film that takes a look at the price of dissent during the nation’s deadliest war. And today, Yahoo! Movies released the first theatrical trailer for the film. I wanted to take a few minutes to discuss the trailer. But before I do, here is the trailer for you to view:

From the very outset, it is clear that this film will be different from any film yet made about the American Civil War. While the war is clearly felt in this small village in New York state, the battlefields and armies are far away from this tranquil town. It is definitely more of a character-driven film. Based on the trailer, the film has more of an intimate feel to it, unlike Mr. Maxwell’s previous Civil War films, which were epic in their scope. For the most part, the cast for the film looks very authentic, and the setting of the film is very idyllic, though the fraction between the neighbors is certain to become a bloodbath as well.

There are two small quibbles I have. One is with the trailer, and one is about the film itself. Although powerful, the trailer does seem to have an abrupt ending to it. Just as it seems to continue to build up to an exciting climax, it ends just like that. As for the film itself, it does appear that Lucy Boynton, the British actress who is portraying Esther Hagadorn in the film, seems to have a somewhat difficult time with an American accent. During a couple of moments, she seems to slip into her natural British dialect. However, I am aware that this is just a two-minute trailer, and the clips used might not give the whole picture.

Overall, I am very impressed with the trailer, and it definitely leaves the viewer excited to see the film in its entirety. Once again, it appears Ron Maxwell has created a finely-crafted film that will tell a unique chapter from the story of America during her bloodiest war.

What are your thoughts and opinions on the trailer? I welcome all to comment.

FILM REVIEW: “Killing Lincoln”

Killing Lincoln (National Geographic, Scott Free Productions, 2013)

Starring: Billy Campbell, Jesse Johnson, Geraldine Hughes, Tom Hanks

Running Time: 120 Minutes (With Commercials)

Rating: TV-14 (Violence, Language)

It seems like the film and television projects pertaining to our 16th President continue to roll on. Last year, three films (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Abraham Lincoln versus Zombies, and the critically-acclaimed Steven Spielberg biopic) featuring Honest Abe were made. This year, we can look forward to two more: Saving Lincoln, which looks at Lincoln’s presidency from the eyes of bodyguard Ward Hill Lamon, and The Green Blade Rises, which looks at the President’s formative years. But outside of Spielberg’s film, possibly the one that has been discussed the most is the NatGeo documentary drama Killing Lincoln, which looks at the events surrounding the assassination of Lincoln, and the manhunt for his killer, acclaimed actor John Wilkes Booth. It is based on the bestselling book by Bill O’Reilly, and executive produced by O’Reilly, along with siblings Tony and Ridley Scott, and directed by Adrian Moat.

Now, I have not read O’Reilly’s book about the assassination, so I did not have that to compare to. However, I was a bit worried about the Scott Brothers, and Mr. Moat, being involved in the production. Back in the summer of 2011, the Scotts and Moat gave us the History Channel docudrama Gettysburg, which is one of the most horrendous excuses of a documentary ever produced. However, unlike the previous documentary, Killing Lincoln is actually a fairly good piece of historical docudrama.

Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks serves as the host/narrator of the film. He helps guide the viewers through the story. Personally, you can never go wrong with having Tom Hanks involved in a historical production, as evidenced by the four historical miniseries that he executive produced for HBO. His narration is fantastic, and helps move the production along at a fairly steady pace. The only drawback is the Walt Disney mustache he sports (That’s no joke: He’s portraying Mr. Disney in a film that comes out later this year), but this is a small distraction.

As for the cast assembled to portray the historical figures, it’s somewhat hit-and-miss. Billy Campbell, famous for such movies as The Rocketeer, and who will next be seen in Ron Maxwell’s Copperhead, portrays Abraham Lincoln. He gives a solid performance, but when compared to other portrayals, his Lincoln seems a bit dull, and lacking some of the charisma that the President had. Still, his performance is not terrible, just not great. Geraldine Hughes, best-known for portraying Sylvester Stallone’s sort-of love interest in Rocky Balboa, gives a good performance as Mary Todd Lincoln. The scenes where she weeps at the sight of her dying husband are very touching, and Ms. Hughes makes you believe that she is in agony.

Probably the most disappointing performance in the piece comes from Jesse Johnson as John Wilkes Booth. Although the documentary points out that Booth was not a madman, Johnson’s performance comes off as exactly that. His Booth is theatrical throughout the piece, making you believe he was indeed insane, despite what the narration says. For me, it was just too difficult to believe he wasn’t a madman based on Johnson’s portrayal. Chris Conner’s portrayal in Gods and Generals is far more accurate, and more humanistic. The rest of the cast turn in solid performances.

As for the historical accuracy, the film succeeds overall. A few moments of poetic license are taken, especially during the assassination scene (Which is, despite the license, done very well). However, one must realize that this is a docudrama, and not a straight-up documentary. And unlike the Gettysburg documentary, the poetic license is not overdone. From a technical standpoint, the film looks and sounds amazing. Done on a budget of $2 Million, it certainly has the look of a big-budget production from Hollywood, and helps give it a very cinematic feel. The storytelling is somewhat slow at times, but is made up for by the solid casting, and Hanks’ narration.

Overall, Killing Lincoln is a flawed, but solid, docudrama looking at the assassination of President Lincoln, and the manhunt to find his killer. If you have an interest in Abraham Lincoln, and this period of American history, then you will enjoy the film. However, those uninterested in the subject will probably not find much to enjoy in this docudrama.

Grade: 7.5/10, or B

CONNECTIONS TO THE PAST: Part One – Primary Documents

The first part in a series of articles discussing the personal connections we have to the people, places and events of the Civil War era.

Although the events of the American Civil War are a century-and-a-half behind us, there are still many things that connect us to those people, places and events that shaped this important part of American history. One of the most important are what have been termed “Primary Documents” by modern scholars. From diaries and journals, to letters home, to telegrams and after-action reports, to discharge and parole papers, these are our most important, and most intimate, connection to the people who lived at this time. It is by reading these primary documents that we can get a sense of who these people were, what they were fighting for, and how combat affected them mentally, physically and spiritually.

I am currently in the middle of working on my Master’s Thesis, the final research project for Graduate School. I am focusing my research on two units that fought in the American Civil War. One of those units is the Confederate 49th North Carolina Troops. As part of the research, I have to go through many primary documents pertaining to the unit. Not only has this been very good for my research project, but it has also been an eye-opening look into the lives of the men who fought in the unit. Much of what I have found has been truly memorable, and also heartbreaking.

In all the research that I have done so far, three moments stand out for me. The first was on my first research trip in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, back at the end of November this past year, to go through the Southern Historical Collections. I went through several documents, but probably the most fascinating that day was the diary of Captain Henry A. Chambers, who served in Company B of the 49th North Carolina, which he kept between June 1863, and April 1865. The diary gives many detailed accounts of the battles the unit fought in during that time, as well as his feelings about the outcomes of those conflicts. His description of the Battle of the Crater, fought on July 30, 1864, is truly memorable for its great detail, and its heartbreaking description of the loss of men (The full transcript of his diaries, including the one kept 1863-65, can be found here).

The second moment came the following day, as I was going through the special collections at Duke University in Durham, NC. I was going through the papers of John Lane Stuart, who fought in Company D of the 49th NC. He wrote several letters to his family at home. But while going through the packet of documents, I stumbled across two small slips of paper. Both were the parole papers given to him after the war had ended, and he had taken the oath of allegiance to the United States. These are important, because there are apparently only a few of these parole slips known to exist. What is also interesting to point out is that, in the first one given to him in August of 1865, the man writing the document misspelled his last name. On the document, the man filling out the form spelled it “Steward.” But when Private Stuart affixed his signature to the document, he spelled it the correct way. This is fascinating, and a bit humorous as well. The other one, which is a “copy” of the oath given to him a month later, the name is misspelled again, this time as “Stewart.” These are unique documents to see, and to find them was a real treasure.

The last moment, and probably the most emotional one, was going back to UNC-Chapel Hill a couple of weeks ago to do more research for the project. This day, I went through the Phifer Family Papers, and some of what I found truly moved me. One of the soldiers who’s letters I went through was Ed Phifer, who went on to be a Lieutenant in the 49th NC. He wrote several letters home, each time wishing members of his family well. As I did a quick look through other letters, I came across a slip of paper folded in two, covering a document that was a little more brittle than the other documents I looked through that day. As I opened it to investigate, I discovered it was the funeral notice for Lieutenant Phifer, who died after suffering wounds. I went back, looking through other documents, and discovered a telegram sent on July 18th, 1864 from Petersburg by his brother to his family notifying them of his death. It was very heart-wrenching to realize that the man whose letters I was going through was one of the men who did not return home from the war. Although I did not know him personally, I did begin to well up a little bit for him and his family, knowing that he gave his life for his home and family, and that his loved ones would not see him again in this life.

To go through these primary documents from the war is to connect personally with the men and women of that time period. To see how they lived through America’s darkest days. To read for yourself what they fought and died for. And most important of all, to feel a personal connection to the events of the American Civil War, a feeling that historical books cannot give you. To me, these documents are just as important a connection as the battlefields and structures of the period that are preserved. For it is through these letters, diaries, journals, and other items that the men themselves are given life again. I encourage everybody to take a day or two to visit the places that hold these types of documents, to see for yourselves the private collections of the men and women who shaped the most important time in our nation’s history.

Happy New Year from CIVIL WAR DIARY!

2012 seems to have flown by. Hard to believe that we’re about to begin 2013 already. The year has been one of the more slower years for the blog, but business picked up in the last four months, with an article on the Battle of Antietam, a look at my trip to the Antietam battlefield, and a review of Steven Spielberg’s highly-anticipated film, Lincoln. With these articles, the blog achieved its highest viewership numbers ever, and I am grateful to everybody for spreading the word on this blog.

2013 promises to be an exciting year. Here is a taste of what is to come:

-The Legacy and Controversies of the Emancipation Proclamation;

-Articles covering major battles of the war, including Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, and others;

-Reviews of previous and upcoming film and television releases connected to the American Civil War;

-Interviews with historians and filmmakers;

-Visits to Civil War battlefields and historic sites;

-And much, much more!

Cannot wait to start the new year. Here’s to hoping all of you have a safe and happy 2013! God bless you all!