Since the summer of 2011, I’ve had the privilege to serve as Emerging Civil War’s editor in chief, which has really just been a fancy title for “chief cook and bottle washer.” In my role as editor, it has been gratifying to help so many other historians—so many emerging voices—find their footing in the public history field. When we founded ECW, we wanted to provide a platform for new writers to share their ideas, practice their writing skills, and build their name recognition. Along the way, ECW has become a wonderful community that includes a great mix of writers and readers with a wide variety of backgrounds. Being part of that community invigorates me. 

It does take up a great deal of time, too—time I don’t get to spend at my writing desk. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to grow up to be a writer. I still do! As editor in chief, I devote much of my time to helping other writers achieve their own writing goals, which is something that has been especially gratifying about my work. But I do admit, I have been feeling a stronger and stronger itch lately to focus a bit more on my own writing, at least for a while. 

At our Ninth Annual Emerging Civil War Symposium at Stevenson Ridge in early August, I announced that I will be stepping down as editor in chief at the end of my current term in October. I shared this decision with my ECW colleagues a few months ago, and we have been quietly preparing for the transition. Our managing editor, Sarah Kay Bierle, will be stepping up to fill the role of editor in chief so that I can devote more of my time to my own writing. 

Sarah has been with ECW since 2015. As managing editor, she has served as my right hand, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the blog. She likes to think of herself as the Sherman to my Grant, but now it’ll be her turn to be Grant while I go write some books.   

I don’t intend to go far, and I won’t completely vanish. Rather, I’ll just sort of hang around as ECW’s “Grand Old Man,” which mostly means telling stories from “back in the day” and telling young kids to stay off ECW’s lawn. I still have the Emerging Civil War book series to manage, and I’ll keep podcasting. But I also have four or five book ideas I’ve been carrying on my back for four or five years, that I’ve been unable to write because of my other duties. I have complete confidence in Sarah‘s ability to take on those duties. 

In the meantime, please wish me well as I settle in to write!

— Chris Mackowski, Ph.D.

Editor-in-Chief

2023 ECW Awards Announced

Each year, Emerging Civil War is proud to present several awards to those who are making a difference in the public history field. We invite you to explore the press releases to learn about each of the awards and this year’s recipients! Congratulations to all and thank you.

• ECW Honors Civil War Trails for Work in Public History
• ECW Honors Newsome’s Gettysburg’s Southern Front with 2023 Book Award
• ECW Honors Chris Heisey with Upton Award
• ECW Honors Childress Agency with Stevenson Award

Brian Swartz spoke about his book, Passing Through the Fire, during the Civil War Weekend held July 22-23 at Fort Knox State Park in Prospect, Maine.

Earlier in August, Chris Kolakowski finished near-final proofing and indexing for my next book, Tenth Army Commander: The Writings of Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr., 1944-45, which brings nearly home a research and writing process that started about 5 years ago. It is a pleasure and privilege to bring out this too-long-silent voice in the Pacific War. The book is coming out this fall, and is available for pre-order at Casemate Publishers (casematepublishers.com or casematepublishers.co.uk).

Brian Matthew Jordan recorded two interviews for The Civil War Regiments podcast. They are now available on Spotify. His latest book (co-edited with Jonathan W. White), Final Resting Places: Reflections on the Meaning of Civil War Graves, is set to release on September 1. He looks forward to seeing old friends and making new ones at the Savas Beatie author meet up next month.

Frank Jastrzembski recently helped to place a government-issued veteran headstone at Colonel Peter Edward Bland's unmarked grave. Read more about it here.

Bert Dunkerly and Caroline Davis are excited about the release of their book, Force of a Cyclone, about the battle of Stones River. Bert has also recently completed his explorations of the Braddock and Forbes Roads in western Pennsylvania, for his upcoming book on the French and Indian War (History Press). He was fortunate enough to not run into Jon Erik or any Browns fans. 

Doug Crenshaw will be giving a virtual talk top the American Civil War Center on August 29, and has led a number of private tours of Cold Harbor and the Seven Days in recent weeks.

Neil Chatelain had a blast speaking at and seeing the ECW community at the ECW Symposium! It is now back to teaching, with classes already back in session.

Sarah Kay Bierle spoke at the Rohrbach Inn Lecture Series in Sharpsburg, Maryland, on August 16, sharing about John Pelham’s five years at West Point.

Moe the Border Collie is one of ECW's youngest contributors and resides with Chief Historian Cecily Nelson Zander. At 3 and 1/2 years old he is well on his way to becoming one of the top canine historians of the Civil War Era, if he doesn't keep getting distracted by his need to play fetch 24/7. He was adopted from a Border Collie rescue organization in Fort Worth, Texas after a rough and tumble start to life in Louisiana and Mississippi. He knows that lots of people think historians like cats, but after spending some time with the good folks at ECW, he's pretty sure they like dogs, too. 

1. What was your favorite part of your first ECW Symposium?

Getting to help set up at Stevenson Ridge was really fun, mainly because I found a new friend in Maxwell Mackowski, who helped me record more than 40,000 steps on Friday (according to my puppy pedometer). The Sunday battlefield tour was also lots of fun -- I got to practice herding all of our attendees so that nobody got lost. But I think the late-night trip to Carl's Frozen Custard on Saturday with Sarah B., Jon T., and Pat K-F. might have been my favorite thing of all!

2. How many battlefields have you visited?

I got to visit three new battlefields on this trip -- Parker's Crossroads, Chancellorsville, and Antietam! Before that I had only visited a few closer to home -- Glorieta Pass, for the Civil War; and I have been to the Alamo twice -- like any good Texan Border Collie should. I like that they named that one after me! My mom says many more are in my future, with Shiloh, Chattanooga, and Gettysburg at the top of the list. 

I also got to visit Fort Laramie, Wyoming for the Fourth of July this year. They fired off one of these cannons I keep seeing everywhere -- and I did not like it one bit. Porter Alexander and I would not have been Civil War buddies.

3. If you could "play ball" at any historic site, where would that be? Why?

I think I would like it to be somewhere close to water, because I also love to swim. So maybe I would choose Charleston, for the history and the beaches. Maybe I'll get to see some of these "cannon balls" I keep hearing about. They must be great for fetch. 

4. Moment of Truth - do you eavesdrop during the ECW Board Meetings?

I do, but only to find out if anyone on the board has "dropped the ball" so that I can go fetch it. So far, nobody has -- but I'm patient!

5. Do you have a favorite ECW book at the moment? 

I very carefully inspect each new ECW book when it arrives at my house to make sure the history smells as good as it looks; but I would say my favorite is The Great “What Ifs” of the American Civil War. I'd love to see an ECW book about animals, but I don't have the thumbs to write it. 

6. Would you like to meet Kenya? (Ted Savas's pup)

I would really like to smoke some puppy cigars with Kenya and discuss what our pet parents are doing typing on those boxes all day long. 

7. What are you looking forward to with ECW in the next 12 months? 

I have overheard some talk about planning the 2024 symposium -- and am hoping I will be chosen to lead a battlefield tour this time around; I know where to find all the best battlefield smells and always walk right into the poison ivy. I will also happily continue to interrupt board meetings by squeaking my toys as loudly as possible in the background!

8. What history dog would you like to time travel and meet?

I have lots of family in North Dakota who want me to come visit -- and I think the most famous dog to go there (so far) was Seaman the Newfoundland, who accompanied Meriwether Lewis and the Corps of Discovery on their journey to the Pacific Ocean; so I would meet Seaman! 

Lightning Rounds:

Favorite treat?

A Dairy Queen Pup Cup or a crunchy salmon skin, which my mom says smells so good.

Favorite toy?

My top three would be: 1. ball; 2. ball; 3. ball

Favorite historian to visit?

I made so many new historian friends at the symposium and I can't wait to visit them again. I have also visited Dr. Gary W. Gallagher a few times and he gives me the best ear scratches in the world!