A Tale of Two Christmas Carols

Ever wondered about the history of your Christmas carols? Well, sit tight because this is a wild ride! Famous Christmas carol "Jingle Bells" has a complex backstory involving Bostonian James Pierpont who, despite hailing from an abolitionist family, joined a Georgia militia unit during the Civil War. Similarly, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, moved by his son's near-death experiences in the Civil War. These carols echo stories of strife, despair, and unflagging hope amidst war.

A Child’s Christmas in Ohio

With all-due apologies to Dylan Thomas. As Christmas rolls around, my all-too willing mind is pulled back to Ohio, to the wide and rolling drab-colored fields dotted by stout wood copses, to the gray and leaden skies that sat like a lid on a silent universe. Snow, never early, always late, sometimes on time, would …

A Letter Home from the Civil War on Christmas

December 24, 1863 Somewhere south of the North Pole My Dearest Hannah, This latest march has been our longest yet. We left northern Virginia in September, marches of 20 or 30 miles, worse than Gettysburg. I'm sure you have heard that we have been betrayed by the Northern Spheres - how our brave Lincoln calmly …

Christmas: Not Always the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

From the NCO Club: Christmas can be a tough time of year for many. SSG Jay Rogers asks that you look out for each other.

Five Bad Excuses for Not Writing this Week

This time of year makes me nostalgic; for crossing the Delaware and wrecking a Hessian Christmas. (Image by LadyHistory) I've been bad. I have not written anything since last week. Here are my awful reasons for slacking. 1. As it is Christmas leave, my writing contributions have fallen as my intake of alcoholic beverages has …