Latest Blog Roll Additions

School is out! I will not return to class until early January so hopefully I will get some things accomplished here at The Picket.

With this post I am going to take care of updating my Blog Roll. This is something that I have overlooked far to long. You may have already noticed these additions but I would like to share my thoughts with you.

I would also like to point out that if a blog appears here I do read and enjoy it. Some of them I do “follow” if they have that application. However, I do not troll the Internet “following” blogs in order to draw traffic to mine. It is my way of letting them know their work is appreciated. Besides, not all blogs have the “follow” option. My blog roll is intended to showcase the talents of lesser known writers. Most of the blogs do not show up on any radar although a couple do appear on one or two other lists.

Now, the additions...

History by Zim- Beyond the Textbooks

This is not really a blog, but kinda sorta is. It is an eclectic mix of social, political, and military history. It mostly deals with United States History but it is not limited to this country. It is heavy with photographs which I find fascinating. I have always loved old photos especially clothing and machinery. You can also find old letters there, another thing I really enjoy. The compiler of this site is Jessica Zimmerman and she does a remarkable job of gathering all of this stuff to put into one place. The site is frequently updated so a daily peek at it will will not hurt. This is good place to start trips down memory lane or explore what was happening when your Dad was younger.

Zim also has a blog called “Zim's Ramblings” where she, as the title implies, rambles about things. It is not as frequent, but it is a fun read.

Our Country's Fiery Ordeal

Written by Dan Vermilya, this blog focuses on the Battle of Antietam, but has a good mix of content. Mr. Vermilya is a park ranger at the Antietam National Battlefield. He earned a Master of Arts Degree in American History. You can find book and movie reviews there from time to time as well as the main content relating to the American Civil War. He has posted things about U.S. Grant, Shiloh, and of course, Antietam.

This is not strictly a retelling of the battle, but also encompasses things that lead up to the battle away from the field, before and after the fact. It is well written and updated regularly, usually weekly. Bookmark it and enjoy!

 

Civil War Saga

Last but certainly not least is Civil War Saga brought to us by Rebekah Brooks. This one rapidly became my favorite. Ms. Brooks has recently focused her talents on civil war prisons and lady spies. I enjoy her writing style and the fact that she uses a “serial” method of posting the information. By that I mean she may write two or three posts on the same topic, then move to a different story. It allows the reader to keep up with the information. I have found that she never is truly finished with a subject. A topic might disappear for a while but will return later. It never gets dull that way! She writes with an easy to read style that gets the point across very well. To show the range of subjects she covers, Dinosaurs In Gettysburg, is an interesting read so click on this link http://civilwarsaga.com/dinosaurs-in-gettysburg/ or copy and paste it in your browser. This post actually cemented her position on my blog roll. The blog is not regularly updated and time between posts can be about 2 weeks. Sometimes she sneaks them in more frequently. The reason it takes so long I imagine is the fact she also produces two other blogs! (amazing) She is also a freelance writer so time may be at a premium for her. Nevertheless, it is well worth the wait. She also has a “Picture of the Day” gallery in the sidebar so you will always have a reason to visit!

Please check these blogs out, I am sure they would appreciate the visit!

And thanks for stopping by!

The Picket

My Blog Roll

    As of today I have been writing “The Picket” for two months! This will be my 18^th post, and I hope those who have stopped by here have enjoyed what I have presented. I have made an effort to give a balanced mix of stories relating to the American Civil War, with viewpoints from opposite sides of the conflict and I think I have achieved that pretty well. I hope so.

    Today's post is intended to share some thoughts on my “Blog Roll”. It might be taken by some as a shameless attempt to increase my readership, which is only partly true. The main reason however is a sincere attempt to give credit where credit is due, and to highlight what I consider some of the best blogs on the web. While many blogs may show a whole column of blogs in their sidebar, my Blog Roll is rather short and I intentionally keep a short list to separate the wheat from the chaff, as it were. I do read several blogs and have a couple I am watching closely that may be added later so check my blog roll often.

    For now, begging your indulgence, I would like to recommend the following for your consideration. They are listed in no particular order so do not construe the first one on the list as being the best.

    

1) I have recently added John Banks' Civil War Blog. Mr. Banks focuses on Antietam and Gettysburg with emphasis on Connecticut soldiers that fought there as well as the war as a whole. The photographs are interesting and give views of places that most people may never see. His post of February 15, 2012 gives A short biography of 20 Connecticut soldiers that fell at the Battle of Antietam, and photos of some of their grave markers. The post was a poignant reminder that the war was fought by ordinary men in extraordinary times. It will be a boon to those tracing their ancestry in Connecticut.

 2) First Fallen: The Life and Times of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, by Meg.(I withhold her last name since it does not appear on her blog in order to preserve that wish.) The title of this blog will throw you if you have less than a passing interest in Colonel Elmer Ellsworth but don't be fooled! Meg covers more than the Colonel, and a good portion of the other topics are devoted to day to day life as experienced by the common soldier. Her recent posts of February 10-14, 2012 were devoted to Valentines Day and Valentines cards, with a link to the Colonel of course! That was an aspect of the war I had never, ever thought about and I was thoroughly enlightened on the subject by these posts. Her blog is always entertaining, informative, and on at least one occasion her cat made an appearance by hacking her computer! That darn cat! Her enthusiasm for her subjects clearly shows with each post and she has written a book about Colonel Ellsworth which should be published soon.

3) Emerging Civil War: This one appears on several blog rolls across the web with good reason and is made up of several men and women that are very knowledgeable about the war. The subjects range from politics to battles and are always written in an easy to read style that imparts the information well without being stuffy and boring. Guest posters also frequent this site and are always enjoyable. As their sub title suggests, they truly do give a “voice to the next generation of Civil War historians.” The one thing to be aware of with this site is the posts can at times be rather lengthy so you will need to have a few minutes to spare.

4) My Civil War Obsession: Written by Richard McCormick, the blog draws from old newspapers and is aimed at what was happening in Kentucky during the war. It fills a need in

the history of the war by covering local politics and personalities as related to the war as a whole and is always a good read. Book reviews appear from time to time and Mr. McCormick also covers some recent news of note as with the post of February 13, 2012 sharing news of Civil War Trusts efforts to save parts of the Perryville battlefield. His blog contains history not usually found on the beaten path of study.

    These blogs are the best of the lot in my humble opinion and they all are well presented, regularly updated and interesting. The quality of content and writing contained in them is superb and well worth the time taken to read them. I hope my blog will one day be able to stand among them.

In conclusion I would like to say to all of the above:

Well Done! And Thank You!

The Picket