The Civil War Project

01/02/2025

If you're ever in the Galena, Illinois area, don't be fooled by this deceitful billboard advertisement. I have it on good authority that former President & General Ulysses S. Grant never would agree to be the face of a brewery. He was a Kentucky bourbon man all the way.

07/12/2024

For over a month, this has been my life. It seems that getting the COVID-19 Alpha variant for two long months has done some permanent damage to my lungs. So, this has been a very uphill & prolonged battle. Will be back soon!

06/10/2024

If you're going to Vicksburg, MS to see the battlefield, or just passing through, you must stop by the Vicksburg Civil War Museum as it just might turn what you think you know upside down. I don't want to spoil the experience, but it's truly unique. The curator & owner, Charles Pendleton, is the first African American to own a Civil War museum & he's often there to help guide you through it all. He has a true passion for what he does; all knowledge levels are welcome!

From the Vicksburg Civil War Museum website (www.vicksburgcivilwarmuseum.org) Pendleton’s emphasis on African American stories during...

05/25/2024

John A. Logan: A Real Story of Redemption & the Man Behind Memorial Day

We visited the General John A. Logan Museum earlier this year, so I was inspired to create a video on General Logan & his role behind Memorial Day as an annual, national event. If you're ever in or near Southern Illinois please check out the museum, it has a lot of great artifacts & a lot of good information! We plan on heading back as we want to see the new Grand Army of the Republic items that they were just setting up last time we were there.

This spotlight video shines a light on General & politician John A. Logan & his true story of redemption. Learn about the man who made Memorial Day a nationa...

05/10/2024

For National Military Spouse Appreciation Day, this short shines a spotlight on military spouse Susie King Taylor, the first African-American woman to publish a memoir about her time during the Civil War.

For National Military Spouse Appreciation Day, this short shines a spotlight on Susie King Taylor, the first African-American woman to publish a memoir about...

04/26/2024

To honor President & General Ulysses S. Grant's birthday (4/27), this video spotlights the places I've visited in an effort to retrace Grant's life. I still have many more to go, but each year I visit a few more. What is your favorite Grant historical site?

All photography by The Civil War Project.

To honor President & General Ulysses S. Grant's birthday, this video spotlights the places I've visited in an effort to retrace Grant's life. I still have ma...

04/17/2024

Took a break from video-making yesterday, and because of my love for taking random back roads we came across the Simpsonville Massacre memorial site west of Simpsonville, KY. I had known of this event, but random fate finally put me where it occurred. It was great to see new wreaths, flags, a cross, and even a little "I served" veteran rubber duck left at the memorial. These men proudly served their country & deserved so much more.

On January 25, 1865, Company E of the 5th United States Colored Calvary (USCC) were transporting 900 cattle from Camp Nelson to Louisville. They were ambushe...

04/15/2024

159 years ago at 7:22am, President Abraham Lincoln died at the Petersen House, across the street from Ford's Theatre National Historic Site. He was 56 years old, leaving behind his wife, Mary, of 23 years, their oldest son Robert (age 21) and their youngest son Thomas/Tad (who had just turned 12).

This video highlights the threats Abraham Lincoln dealt with once he was elected President in 1860, and his assassination on April 14, 1865. This is an exten...

04/14/2024

The timing of John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre as the White House messenger arrives has always blown my mind. This is why I don't believe there was an organized Confederate plot to assassinate Lincoln via Booth. Booth simply had the perfect opportunity dropped in his lap & he took it, to the detriment of the entire country, especially African Americans. There is so much tragedy that comes over the next several years to the people who had the slightest connection to that night. I'll try to post some examples tomorrow, as the whole assassination thing has been infiltrating my dreams enough these days.

It's 11:00am on April 14th, 1865. A messenger from the White House arrives at Ford's Theatre. He requests two viewing boxes for Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln and two guests to see that evening's performance. Stagehands immediately jump into action and clean the theatre. During a break in the action, stagehands go outside for a breath of fresh air. Sitting on the steps is John Wilkes Booth, overhearing their conversation about the theatre's special guests. Booth gets up to put the opening parts of his plan into action.

Follow along on Facebook today as we trace Abraham Lincoln's last hours.



Image📸: A photograph of 10th St. from 1865 with Ford's Theatre being the centerpiece of the photograph. (LOC)

04/13/2024

Just before the assassination Secretary of War Edwin Stanton attempted to give his resignation but President Lincoln refused to accept it. Stanton could not have realized the almost impossible road he would face, largely alone, for the next four years.

From the Recap & Deep Dive of Manhunt Episode 3, "Let the Sheep Flee" on Apple TV+

04/12/2024

The Recap & Deep Dive for Manhunt Episode 4, "The Secret Line," is finally completed! This was the most fictitious episode & it quickly noted so many different historical events that it made this video the hardest of all of them to complete. This is not just a recap, but a complete deep dive into the various themes the episode briefly covered: The Manhattan Fire Plot, the Dahlgren Scandal, the Confederate yellow fever plot, the relationships of Edwin Booth/John Wilkes Booth, Mary Lincoln/Robert Lincoln, and more. I'm off to work on episode 5, which should be a lot easier as it largely focuses on the hunt. Manhunt Apple TV+

Manhunt on Apple TV+ full recap AND deep dive for episode 4, titled "The Secret Line"00:00 Video Introduction00:34 Stanton manages bad press re Dalhgren Scan...

04/06/2024

If you're looking for a recap for Manhunt Episode 4, "The Secret Line", I've been working on it all week! I'm going into the real detail of the Manhattan Fire Plot, the Dahlgren Affair, Edwin Stanton's first marriage, the Edwin Booth/John Wilkes Booth relationship, the Mary & Robert Lincoln relationship, and much more! It should be out by Sunday, April 7!

03/30/2024

Manhunt on Apple TV+ full recap for episode 3, titled "Let the Sheep Flee"00:00 Video Introduction00:32 President Booth01:26 Booth's Diary/Herold vs Booth05:...

03/27/2024

March 14-20, 1859: John Wilkes Booth & His Family, including his father Junius Brutus Booth, mother Mary Ann, & brother Edwin Booth; Tammany Hall is the hot ...

03/19/2024

Manhunt Episode 2 Recap (Apple TV+) "Post Mortem" This episode was crazy. There are so many little scenes & details that I'm guessing there are some confused people out there. Hopefully this video can help make some sense out of it. Stay tuned for my upcoming Fact vs Fiction videos on episodes 1 & 2.

Manhunt on Apple TV+ full recap for episode 2, titled "Post Mortem"00:00 Video Introduction0:40 How it could have been2:17 Very few clues3:22 Meet Lafayette ...

03/17/2024

I've been obsessed with the Lincoln assassination since I was 4, so I had to watch & recap Manhunt on AppleTV+. Next up will be a recap for Episode 2, so watch this space. If you've watched Manhunt, what are your thoughts?

Manhunt on Apple TV+ full recap for episode 1, titled "Pilot." 00:00 Video Introduction1:07 John Wilkes Booth gets ready in hotel room1:28 The Conspirators &...

03/14/2024

March 7-13, 1859: Update on Daniel Sickles murdering Philip Barton Key; Abraham Lincoln gives a speech in Chicago; John Brown gets the freedom seekers to Can...

03/14/2024