Of history, warfare, leadership, and alcohol
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 …
Continue reading "A Letter Home from the Civil War on Christmas"
So I'm driving right now, heading up the road from the National Capital Region, and I see on my left the long lines of marching hills. Treetopped ranks stretching into the distance. The South Mountain Range. Home of so much of what I've studied in war, in history, and culture; and suddenly my heart seems …
Continue reading "Drawn to the Battlefield"
In 1913, Union and Confederate veterans held a touching reunion at Gettysburg. Now in their 70s, the veterans flocked to the small Pennsylvania town by the thousands. It was here that they shared stories, recreated memories, and celebrated the reconciled Union. Worn Union men shook hands with grizzled old foes across the stone wall on …
Continue reading "Deconstructing the Reconciliation Narrative of the Civil War"
Summer means many things: vacation, lazy days by the beach, cook-outs, and the smell of freshly mowed lawns. Or it means yet another NTC rotation, another deployment, a PCS move, or other less-fun Army experiences. Whether you're burying your toes in the sand on the beach or trying to get the sand out of your …
Continue reading "ASO’s Summer Reading List"
Time is a strange thing. This coming April 6, World War I and the United States turn 100. 100 years since Congress declared war on the German Empire. 100 years since U.S. Doughboys, carrying automatic weapons and wearing steel helmets, marched off to war in France, in Belgium, in Italy, and in Siberia. These troops …
Continue reading "Not in our Time: A Warning"
Today’s guest post comes from Barefoot Boomer. Boomer is a career Army officer and strategist. He is also a historian with an emphasis in American and German military history.  The content and opinions of this article are the author’s only and do not reflect the opinions of the United States Army or the Department of Defense. …
Continue reading "Winning the Civil War, Finally"
So this past weekend I had my wisdom teeth out. I elected to go full pansy and get all the anesthesia the doc would give me. Accordingly, there is a gap in my memory after coming out of surgery. Luckily, my charming wife took notes for posterity on what happens when an Army officer and …
Continue reading "Wherein I Come Out of Anesthesia"
The Gettysburg Address, as it might have been delivered by Donald Trump. You're welcome. It was a long time ago – I don’t think anyone can even remember, but I can remember, I have a great memory, I’ve got the best memory ever. These guys, they made the most special thing, really, really special. Where …
Continue reading "The Gettysburg Address – the Donald Trump Version"
At tables all across the United States, families will be gathering to share a meal heavy on starch, alcohol, and awkward conversation. Inevitably, someone will look around the table and suggest that everyone go around and offer one thing that they’re thankful for, which will cause a chain reaction of people reaching for the wine …
Continue reading "Give Thanks for What?"
Let's be honest, we all watch far too much television. In the old days, when our ancestors had no electricity and far too many brain cells, they occupied their time by reading silly things like the Iliad and other such classics. Because of this, they were able to associate current events with Classical literature, forming …
Continue reading "If U.S. Wars were Arrested Development Characters"
