The 21st book in my series, “Civil War Personalities: 50 At a Time,” entitled CIVIL WAR NEW ENGLANDERS, is now available at:
New Englanders were leaders in American society from the beginning of our nation’s history. From landing at “Plymouth Rock,” to leading the way in the American Revolution, to launching movements like abolitionism and the Underground Railroad, these men and women were changing American society in many ways. Thus, it was inevitable that during the American Iliad, the crucible of the Civil War, men and women from this region would emerge as leaders and change-makers.
The nine people pictured on the cover of this book are typical. Robert Gould Shaw’s charge with his USCT 54th Massachusetts immortalized many aspects of this momentous conflict. Frederick Law Olmsted, known for his landscape architecture, was Executive Director of the Sanitary Commission which relieved the suffering of thousands. Joshua Chamberlain made a reputation for himself at the Battle of Gettysburg. Rufus Saxton led the charge for black rights and freedom on the southeast coast. Clara Barton is by far the most famous woman of the era for her groundbreaking work on nursing and founding the American Red Cross. Fitz-John Porter is a symbol of what went wrong when a talented military man let his politics obstruct his actions. Ambrose Burnside symbolizes the dedicated military man who, unlike most, recognized his limitations. Gideon Welles revolutionized the U.S. Navy and was a key eyewitness to history. Dorothea Dix was a crusader for the insane and also a founder of the institution of nursing as a female profession.
GENE SCHMIEL, CIVIL WAR HISTORIAN, AUTHOR, AND LECTURER 