An Encyclopedia of Early Civil War Virginia
I recently came across this neat episode of the Ancestral Findings Podcast focusing on Matilda Humphrey, the civilian who fired the first shots on the morning of June 3, 1861, alerting Porterfield's command and likely preventing an even worse disaster for the secessionists. It shows how seemingly small, unforeseen events can have major consequences in…
Continue reading ➞ Ancestral Findings Podcast – The Shot Heard in Philippi
The American Battlefield Trust released an informative video a few years ago about the Battle of Corrick's Ford. Kris White tells the story on location. Parsons, WV is a nice little town and I always enjoy stopping there with my family. The house where Robert S. Garnett's body was taken still stands. https://youtu.be/qRovfQezbUQ?si=cKZDxLvUhjRgXeZ9
Last July, Shenandoah Valley Battlefields (SVBF) produced an excellent short video on the Battle of Hoke's Run, specifically the actions on the Confederate left flank where J.E.B. Stuart almost single-handedly captured a Union company. The presenter does a good job of breaking it down, but I wish they would have shown more footage of the…
Continue reading ➞ SVBF: The Wrong Uniform Color – Battle of Hoke’s Run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_-ygaZqJ6I I recently stumbled upon this amateur video taken at a reenactment of the July 11, 1861 Battle of Rich Mountain in what is today Randolph County, West Virginia. The video features an interview with Phyllis Baxter of the Rich Mountain Battlefield Foundation and some of the reenactors, as well as footage of the skirmish.…
Continue reading ➞ The Battle of Rich Mountain, Part 1 (1999 Reenactment Video)
Dr. Lucas Wilder is an adjunct professor at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, and he runs one of the best Civil War channels on YouTube: History Gone Wilder. One highlight is his animated maps. What they lack in graphic design, they make up for in attention to detail. He posted the following video on the…
Continue reading ➞ History Gone Wilder: The Battle of Big Bethel
Stories of Appalachia is an interesting podcast started in 2015. Hosts Steve Gilly and Rod Mullins discuss a variety of topics, including history and folklore from across the Eastern United States Appalachian region. A few weeks ago, they posted an episode about the Battle of Philippi. The action took place on June 3, 1861 and…
Continue reading ➞ Stories of Appalachia: Philippi, West Virginia
Threads from the National Tapestry is among the best Civil War series on YouTube. Its narrator, Fred Kiger, has one of those voices perfectly suited for storytelling. And storytelling is this channel's strong suit. Their aim is to "make you feel as if you were there." In this video, Kiger discusses early mobilization, the motivations…
Continue reading ➞ The Call to Duty – The Common Soldier in the Civil War (1861)
Spirit of '61 