Remembering 'Civil War Times' and 'America's Civil War'

I must admit that both magazines, which I just found out ceased publication in February, had started giving a lot more attention to the naval aspect of the war, which is my favorite aspect.  Too often before they overlooked the Navy.  

However, this is very true of Civil War people in general.  It is all the land warfare with water parts taking a distinct hind part.

I sure hope someone buys these two magazines or the other seven history ones which were offered by the same company.

Sad to See You Go.  --Old B-Runner

Wilmington, N.C.--Part 2: The Best Of

Wilmington is one of my favorite towns anywhere, other than the traffic, which is a headache and for gosh sake, watch out for all those photo-enforced stoplights.  I hate photo-enforced stoplights.  But, Wilmington has all that history, the river front and, of course, my all-time favorite ship, the battleship USS North Carolina.

Anyway, the Civil War Monitor magazine asked two Wilmington experts to point out great places to go while in Wilmington and around it in such areas as

Can't Miss
Best Kept Secret
Best Family Activity

Best Civil War Spot
Best Eats
Best Sleep
Best Book

--We'll Find Out Soon.  --Old B-Runner

Fort Fisher Painting Featured in Summer Civil War Monitor magazine

From the Summer 2019 issue of The Civil War Monitor  "Salvo:  Facts, Figures & Items of Interest."

And, the painting is featured on a two-page spread and you get to see how big of a fortification Fort Fisher was and the huge size of the Union fleet attacking it.  You see the three single turret monitors and the double turret one in close and the lines of Union ships, including the biggies like the Minnesota and Wabash.  I had to look hard and finally found the New Ironsides in the big ship line second from the right.

"In this lithograph by T.F. Laycock, a fleet of U.S. vessels under the command of Rear Admiral David D. Porter bombards Fort Fisher on the North Carolina shore in mid-January 1865.  A subsequent land attack by Union troops forced the fort's surrender, opening the way for the capture of the port city of Wilmington.  For more on Wilmington, turn the page."

Then there is a four page spread on what to see and do in Wilmington including can't miss sites, best kept secret, best family activity, best Civil War spot, best eats, best sleep and best book.

Obviously, I will be writing about this article this next week.  Liz and I were just at nearby Carolina Beach, home of Britt's Donuts, on Monday and Tuesday, July 15 and 16.

If you hurry up you can still purchase a copy at your local news stand.

Carolina Beach, My Favorite Beach.  --Old B-Runner

James Hamilton Tomb, CSN-- Part 2: Service in Charleston Harbor

James Tomb was at the forefront of naval weapon technology of the period.  he quickly amassed  not only the knowledge required of a steam engineer, but also the courage and capacity to assume important positions of command.

Within days of his commissioning, he was on his way to his first assignment-- first class engineer on the CSS Jackson at New Orleans, Louisiana, a point of great strategic importance.

This is where he began his memoirs  "Engineer in Gray."

The memoirs are a first-person narrative.  The editor intersperses that with explanatory comments.  The editor also fills in the life of Tomb before and after his Confederate service.  Three appendices also include documents by Tomb "Submarines and Torpedo Boats, C.S.N.,"  written in 1914 for the Confederate Veteran  Magazine, a private manuscript Tomb wrote for his family describing in detail his experience with the torpedo boat  David and submarine H.L. Hunley, and "Reminiscences of Torpedo Service in Charleston Harbor," published in 1877 in the Southern Historical Society Papers.

There is also a bibliography and many rare photographs.

Sounds Like a Book I'd Like to Have.  --Old Torp-Runner

A Magazine to Check Out: Civil War Navy Magazine

I came across this in the Civil War Talk site.

Being a diet-in-the-wool Civil War Navy nut. this is definitely a magazine of interest for me.    They are on Volume 3 Issue 3 and printed four times a year.

This issue had stories about the CSS Georgia recovery, the USS Roanoke and Semmes of the Alabama.

Definitely one to look into.

--Old B-Runner