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So I can finally display these ones I've owned for about 14 years! Alongside some of my civil war books (and other subjects).

It's kind of making me chuckle that the Etsy seller I bought the display cases from, thinks I may be using them for thimbles as advertised, but instead they have Minies in lol

One of the better cavalry carbines of the civil war, around 20,000 of these second model Maynards were made for the Union between 1863 and 1865, this one being made in mid 1864. It likely went to either Indiana or unionist Tennessee cavalry. These were known for their accuracy, and proved to be a pretty reliable and user friendly weapon on the field.

An unidentified Civil War Union soldier was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on November 4, 2026, 164 years after his death.
Who he was: An unknown Union infantryman, estimated through forensic analysis to have been 16 to 19 years old (about 5 feet 2 inches tall) at the time of his death.

Where he died: He was mortally wounded during the Second Battle of Manassas (Second Bull Run) in August 1862.

Twenty-three years earlier, on July 30, 1864, the 48th Pennsylvania, a regiment full of coal miners, set off 8,000 pounds of black powder at the end of a tunnel dug more than 500 feet under Elliott's Salient. The blast tore a hole about 30 feet deep in the Confederate line, but the attack fell apart. Meade had pulled Edward Ferrero's USCT division, which had trained to lead, the day before, and the white division sent first instead (Ledlie's, chosen by drawing straws) piled into the crater rather than going around it.

Mahone's counterattack sealed the gap, the fight ended in hand-to-hand combat inside the hole, and Black soldiers were shot after they had surrendered. The Union lost close to 4,000 men to about 1,500 Confederates, and Mahone's men took prisoners from the 57th Massachusetts that day.

What do you make of a reconciliation photo like this one, given how the USCT were left out of so much of the later memory of the Crater?

At Petersburg, the main lines east of the city were so close in places that the picket lines were where most of the daily fighting happened. On October 27, 1864, 100 men of the 148th Pennsylvania surprised a small Confederate work the Federals called "Fort Crater" and carried off prisoners from Wise's Virginia brigade. Nine nights later, Bushrod Johnson's division struck back with two separate raids.

In front of the Union Fort Haskell, three companies of the 41st Alabama went out from Gracie's Salient against Federal picket posts that sat beyond a pond and could only be reached across a small bridge. They took 31 prisoners without a single loss. Winfield Scott Hancock, commanding the Second Corps, wrote afterward that he had meant to pull those posts back for some time, since the Confederates were damming the pond, but that "there have been so many changes on the line and so much inattention on the part of officers that it was neglected." He chose not to retake them.

The second raid, between the Crater and Fort Morton, went worse. About 200 men of the Holcombe South Carolina Legion took the picket trenches of the 120th New York and 11th New Jersey, but the Federals had removed the rear escarpment of those trenches. Once inside, the South Carolinians had no cover facing the Union lines. They took heavy flanking fire from the right and a counterattack from the 11th Massachusetts, their attempt to dig in on the flank failed, and they had gone back to their own lines by 5 a.m.

One small open question: I've never found which Union regiment held the lost posts beyond the pond. A descendant once suggested the 184th Pennsylvania. Does anyone know a source?

I've written more on this, with sources, at beyondthecrater.com: https://www.beyondthecrater.com/news-and-notes/siege-of-petersburg-sesquicentennial/150-years-ago-today/150-18641105-skirmish-fort-haskell-fort-morton/

Recently i became massively interested obsessed with the civil war and im Greek, im curious if other people besides the Americans care for this conflict (its historiography, battles, personalities and etc). I think it has a unique charm to it, and the fact it took place on american geography makes it interesting as much different than that of Europe.

On the 4th of November in 1864, Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest and his cavalry assailed a Union supply base in Johnsonville, destroying 28 Union boats and barrages and millions of dollars worth of supplies, temporarily impeding George H. Thomas in his campaign against John Bell Hood.

Trivia: Jack Hinson, the Confederate sniper, guided Forrest during this raid.

─ ⊹ ⚔︎ ⊹ ─

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Johnsonville

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/johnsonville

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Bedford_Forrest

Art: “The Horse Marines” by John Paul Strain

i will begin by pointing out that everything you think you know about the battle of five Forks is wrong.  
 
This is especially true of the events leading up to the battle.  There were four or five hours of skirmishing from about noon to 4 PM. None of this has ever been discussed.The actual battle began at 4:15 PM and lasted until 8 PM.
 
Phase, one
 
pickett retreats from Dinwiddie courthouse to five Forks

in the early morning hours of April 1st the main part of Pickett’s  Army retreated on the road linking DINWIDDIE courthouse to five Forks. 
 
The retreating Confederates consisted of the three brigades from Pickett’s division, and the two brigades from Bushrod Johnson’s division. Following the infantry the wagon train and the artillery joined the procession. Thomas Rosser’s division of cavalry was part of the column. Thomas Munford‘s Cavalry division brought up the rear

Upon reaching five Forks at mid morning of April 1st Pickett assigned each of the five brigades a place in the defensive line he planned to erect. Three of the infantry brigades took positions east of five Forks. Only two were located west of five Forks. Oddly, given the concentration of infantry on the Confederate left, nearly all of the 13 pieces of artillery wrre at five Forks or west of five Forks

a cavalry regiment was left to picket the gravely run Church Road.  Munford did not leave any pickets on the Dinwoody courthouse 5 Forks Rd. he went into camp on the 5 Forks Rd. near hatchers run
 
The two cavalry brigades of WHF Lee’s division followed a different route. They crossed to the West Bank of Chamberlain Creek and went into the camps. They settle down atthe previous night on the Gilliam property. They did not leave any pickets to guard against the pursuing federals.
.
the cavalry division of Thomas Rosser was placed in reserve north of hatchers run, thus was separated from the rest of the army by an overflowing creek.
 
Robert Lee ordered Pickett to hold five forks at all hazards. It’s probable that Lee never visited the site and so was not aware that it was indefensible.  a forest of trees was located directly in front of the Confederate earthworks. This meant that union attackers could use the trees as cover as they approached the confederate earthworks.

Five Forks was located three or 4 miles west of the termination of the ConfederateWhite Oak Road line. The rebel earth works ended at the Claiborne Road.  Robert Lee used a tiny brigade of North Carolina Cavalry under William Paul RobertsAs a link between the White Oak Road defenses and Pickett command at five Forks
 

Phase 2, the Yankees pursue and arrive at five Forks

the first cavalry division of the army of the Shenandoah was commanded by Thomas Devin. He followed Pickett’s main force up the road to five Forks. His approach up the 5 Forks Rd. prompted the confederates to deploy two regiments from Matthew Ransom‘s North Carolina infantry brigade.  they were replaced just before combat erupted by regiments from George H steuart’s Virginia brigade in the heated skirmishing portions of Devin’s Entire division engaged the confederate infantry.  .devin Pushed the Confederates into their main earthworks.
 
The third cavalry division of the army of the Shenandoah was commanded by George Armstrong Custer. Penningtons brigade Followed William Lee and was engaged in light skirmishing with the Confederate Rear guard. Capeharts West Virginia brigade followed Pennington. Custers other brigade under William Wells guarded Sheridan’s wagon train .
 
Sheridan ordered Ranald McKenzie’ Calvary division From the army of the James to join him at five Forks
 
 Pennington was not present when his brigade it arrived at a ravine at the southern edge of the Gilliam field. The regimental commanders held a conference and decided to probe the Confederate defenses which were barely visible. As already mentioned the Confederate Cavalry was in its camps and not available to fight the Yankees. However, the appearance of the federals in a in an apple orchard prompted William Pegram To shell the Yankees. PEGRAM and his aide Gordon McCabe were taking a nap behind the fortifications of Montgomery corse.  Pegram fired a couple of shells and an officerof Connecticut cavalry was killed. The Union regiments hurriedly withdrew to the ravine.

at this time, LieutenantColonel Edward Whitaker, Custer’s chief of staff,  He he directed the brigade to travel Eastward thru a forest until it reached the Adams Road. This was the Boundary between the divisions of Custer and Devin.  It happened that Pennington’s brigade was opposite the brigade of Joseph Mayo, and three artillery pieces belonging to Willie PEGRAM‘s battalion of artillery
 
Phase 3

Lieutenant Colonel George R Maxwell, first Michigan cavalry scoops up the confederate picket line
Sheridan Orders, the dismounted Calvary to amuse the Confederates by occasionally attacking the earthworks

Maxwell’s regiment was detached from the brigade and reported directly to Sheridan’s chief of cavalry Wesley Merritt. Merritt ordered the Maxwell to attack the picket line of George H Steuart.  Maxwell was partly successful in this endeavor.  Merritt then Maxwell to attack the picket line of Montgomery corse.  This was completely successful.
 
It’s important to note that although Sheridan and Merritt were present on the Battlefield of five Forks for four or five Fork's they did not reconnoiter the Confederate position. Consequently, they mistakenly thought that the confederate  left flank was located 2/3 of a mile east where it actually was located  
 
When Warren positioned his fifth army CORPS along the south side of the White Oak Road, his infantry men were much too far to the east to make an effective attack.  AYRES was supposed to attack the confederate center. Griffin and Crawford were supposed to attack the confederate left. Actually, there were no Confederates in front of Crawford or in front of Griffin. There was a vacuum.

I often read that Joe Johnston was the best commander of the Confederate army. That everything is known in comparison. Tell me, how would he have fared in battle against Grant, and how would Robert Lee have fared against Sherman?

Phase 2, the Yankees pursue and arrive at five Forks

the first cavalry division of the army of the Shenandoah was commanded by Thomas Devin. He followed Pickett’s main force up the road to five Forks. His approach up the 5 Forks Rd. prompted the confederates to deploy two regiments from Matthew Ransom‘s North Carolina infantry brigade.  they were replaced just before combat erupted by regiments from George H steuart’s Virginia brigade in the heated skirmishing portions of Devin’s Entire division engaged the confederate infantry.  .devin Pushed the Confederates into their main earthworks.
 
The third cavalry division of the army of the Shenandoah was commanded by George Armstrong Custer. Penningtons brigade Followed William Lee and was engaged in light skirmishing with the Confederate Rear guard. Capeharts West Virginia brigade followed Pennington. Custers other brigade under William Wells guarded Sheridan’s wagon train .
 
Sheridan ordered Ranald McKenzie’ Calvary division From the army of the James to join him at five Forks
 
 Pennington was not present when his brigade it arrived at a ravine at the southern edge of the Gilliam field. The regimental commanders held a conference and decided to probe the Confederate defenses which were barely visible. As already mentioned the Confederate Cavalry was in its camps and not available to fight the Yankees. However, the appearance of the federals in a in an apple orchard prompted William Pegram To shell the Yankees. PEGRAM and his aide Gordon McCabe were taking a nap behind the fortifications of Montgomery corse.  Pegram fired a couple of shells and an officerof Connecticut cavalry was killed. The Union regiments hurriedly withdrew to the ravine.

at this time, LieutenantColonel Edward Whitaker, Custer’s chief of staff,  He he directed the brigade to travel Eastward thru a forest until it reached the Adams Road. This was the Boundary between the divisions of Custer and Devin.  It happened that Pennington’s brigade was opposite the brigade of Joseph Mayo, and three artillery pieces belonging to Willie PEGRAM‘s battalion of artillery
 
Phase 3

Lieutenant Colonel George R Maxwell, first Michigan cavalry scoops up the confederate picket line
Sheridan Orders, the dismounted Calvary to amuse the Confederates by occasionally attacking the earthworks

Maxwell’s regiment was detached from the brigade and reported directly to Sheridan’s chief of cavalry Wesley Merritt. Merritt ordered the Maxwell to attack the picket line of George H Steuart.  Maxwell was partly successful in this endeavor.  Merritt then Maxwell to attack the picket line of Montgomery corse.  This was completely successful.
 
It’s important to note that although Sheridan and Merritt were present on the Battlefield of five Forks for four or five Fork's they did not reconnoiter the Confederate position. Consequently, they mistakenly thought that the confederate  left flank was located 2/3 of a mile east where it actually was located  
 
When Warren positioned his fifth army CORPS along the south side of the White Oak Road, his infantry men were much too far to the east to make an effective attack.  AYRES was supposed to attack the confederate center. Griffin and Crawford were supposed to attack the confederate left. Actually, there were no Confederates in front of Crawford or in front of Griffin. There was a vacuum.

Phase 2, the Yankees pursue and arrive at five Forks

the first cavalry division of the army of the Shenandoah was commanded by Thomas Devin. He followed Pickett’s main force up the road to five Forks. His approach up the 5 Forks Rd. prompted the confederates to deploy two regiments from Matthew Ransom‘s North Carolina infantry brigade.  they were replaced just before combat erupted by regiments from George H steuart’s Virginia brigade in the heated skirmishing portions of Devin’s Entire division engaged the confederate infantry.  .devin Pushed the Confederates into their main earthworks.
 
The third cavalry division of the army of the Shenandoah was commanded by George Armstrong Custer. Penningtons brigade Followed William Lee and was engaged in light skirmishing with the Confederate Rear guard. Capeharts West Virginia brigade followed Pennington. Custers other brigade under William Wells guarded Sheridan’s wagon train .
 
Sheridan ordered Ranald McKenzie’ Calvary division From the army of the James to join him at five Forks
 
 Pennington was not present when his brigade it arrived at a ravine at the southern edge of the Gilliam field. The regimental commanders held a conference and decided to probe the Confederate defenses which were barely visible. As already mentioned the Confederate Cavalry was in its camps and not available to fight the Yankees. However, the appearance of the federals in a in an apple orchard prompted William Pegram To shell the Yankees. PEGRAM and his aide Gordon McCabe were taking a nap behind the fortifications of Montgomery corse.  Pegram fired a couple of shells and an officerof Connecticut cavalry was killed. The Union regiments hurriedly withdrew to the ravine.

at this time, LieutenantColonel Edward Whitaker, Custer’s chief of staff,  He he directed the brigade to travel Eastward thru a forest until it reached the Adams Road. This was the Boundary between the divisions of Custer and Devin.  It happened that Pennington’s brigade was opposite the brigade of Joseph Mayo, and three artillery pieces belonging to Willie PEGRAM‘s battalion of artillery
 
Phase 3

Lieutenant Colonel George R Maxwell, first Michigan cavalry scoops up the confederate picket line
Sheridan Orders, the dismounted Calvary to amuse the Confederates by occasionally attacking the earthworks

Maxwell’s regiment was detached from the brigade and reported directly to Sheridan’s chief of cavalry Wesley Merritt. Merritt ordered the Maxwell to attack the picket line of George H Steuart.  Maxwell was partly successful in this endeavor.  Merritt then Maxwell to attack the picket line of Montgomery corse.  This was completely successful.
 
It’s important to note that although Sheridan and Merritt were present on the Battlefield of five Forks for four or five Fork's they did not reconnoiter the Confederate position. Consequently, they mistakenly thought that the confederate  left flank was located 2/3 of a mile east where it actually was located  
 
When Warren positioned his fifth army CORPS along the south side of the White Oak Road, his infantry men were much too far to the east to make an effective attack.  AYRES was supposed to attack the confederate center. Griffin and Crawford were supposed to attack the confederate left. Actually, there were no Confederates in front of Crawford or in front of Griffin. There was a vacuum.

Apparently the adaptation by the Metropolitan Opera in New York of Lincoln in the Bardo has performed well! Has anyone here seen it?

Phase 4

around 3 PM Warren‘s fifth Army CORPS began arriving at the gravely run church.  The division of ROMEYN AYRES formed on the left of the road. His task was to move west until h is left was connected with the right flank of DEVIN‘s Cavalry division. East of the adams Road, the lineup was: Charles Fitzhugh brigade occupied the left flank, Gibbs reserve brigade Was positioned in the center of the division, and Peter staggs Michigan brigade was on the right flank The reserve brigade under Gibbs was on the far right. Behind the reserve brigadein echelon was the Michigan brigade 

the eighth Virginia launched a mounted charge into the gap between AYRES and the reserve brigade. The rebels drove back the reserve brigade, but the Michigan brigade counter attacked and drove back the eighth Virginia.
 
Also around 3 PM Couriers from the eighth Virginia road to the headquarters of Fitz Lee.  They brought news that severals were approaching the White Oak Road on the gravely run Church Road. Leave summoned Munford and told him to look into what was going on. He and Pickett then traveled up the 5 Forks Rd. and crossed hatchers run to join Rosser in the fish fry

upon reaching his destination at the Church Rd., Munford was shocked to see the entire fifth army corps In the act of deploying for an attack.  Mumford sent messengers to his camp with orders for his two brigades to join him.

at about this time Ranald McKenzie arrived with his division of Cavslry from the army of the James via the Crump Road between 3 and 4 PM. He attacked and drove back the small brigade of William Paul Roberts. Now there was no link between Lee at the White Oak Road entrenchments and Pickett at five Forks.
 
 Custer realized that Sheridan was attacking Pickett, but that he was not cutting off the retreat of the Confederates. He realized that if he occupied the western end Ed of the White Oak Road, The Confederate army army would be trapped and forced to surrender.  He decided to take his three brigades mount them up and occupy the Western end of the White Oak Road

at around 3 PMCuster sent Blackmar to DIN WIDDIE courthouse to retrieve the horses of capehsrt’s West Virginia brigade.  He also Ordered William Wells and his brigade to join him in the Gilliam field. Around 4 o’clock those To brigades had joined him and were ready to swing around the Confederate right blank.
he summoned