“Not too bad for three idiots sitting on a porch.”

That was the judgement passed down by the wife of co-founder Kris White when Emerging Civil War turned five. In August, we turned ten. We’re just as amazed now at how things turned out than when we turned five. There are days I still scratch my head and go, “Jeez!”

“Beginning the whole thing on a front porch between friends was a dream!” co-founder Jake Struhelka told me earlier this month. In fact, the whole thing has felt like a dream (and, on a rare occasion, like a nightmare!). But honestly, the best part is that it’s been a shared dream—shared by a lot of wonderful contributors and loyal readers over the year. A lot of people have helped make this dream come true.

We’ve had a lot happening on the blog in the last month to celebrate our one-decade of existence, so I hope you’ve been following along and sharing in the fun. This is as much a celebration of your support and loyalty as anything else.

Thank you!

-- Chris Mackowski, Ph.D.

Editor-in-Chief

Dwight Hughes and Ted Savas at the ECW Symposium

Brian Swartz (right) at a Civil War event in western Maine

ECW was pleased earlier this summer to welcome a new writer into the fold: Sheritta Bitikofer. Based on the Florida panhandle, she’s been bringing all sorts of fascinating Civil War stories to the blog from a hitherto underappreciated corner of the war. You can read her full ECW bio here.

How did you initially get interested in the Civil War? 

My earliest recollection of that first spark of interest in the Civil War was in my 7th grade history class. We were at that point of the year where it was time to discuss the Civil War, and my teacher brought in the book The Unknown Civil War by Webb Garrison. He spent the entire class reading story after story, and I remember thinking each one was so fascinating, much more than how the textbook had presented the various topics. I came up to my teacher after class and asked if I could borrow the book and he eagerly agreed, saying he noticed my interest during class and was really encouraged by it. My interest in the Civil War was put on the back burner over the years, but was rekindled when I set to writing one of my historical fiction books that took place during the war. I jumped into the research and haven’t come up for air since!

You’ve mentioned how hard it was for you for a while to find a Civil War community for yourself, and how hard it has been at times for you to feel like you “fit in” in the Civil War world. What was that like, and what have you done about it? 

It was difficult and a little disheartening at first. I am a young woman, and it seemed every battlefield, every museum, every lecture or presentation I visited, I faced a sea of old, white-haired men (no offense to old, white-haired men because they’re awesome to talk to!). If there were any women or younger people, they were often dragged there by their parents or husbands and did not engage. As a new face, I became a magnet, and I felt embarrassed when people asked, “Are you a grad student?” and “Are you working on a paper or something?” I was mostly embarrassed because I didn’t have an answer I could take pride in. I was just there because I wanted to learn for the joy of learning. And at times, it felt as if I were the only one walking into the room with an open mind and the intellectual conversations were stagnant. Other times, I felt way out of my league, surrounded by brilliant minds and hard-working historians and I wondered, “What is little ol’ me doing here?” But this was just the beginning of my journey, and I’ve since connected with a lot of great people online and in person. I’ve found more women in the historian community and realized there is definitely still young blood in the field. Realizing I wasn’t alone was that moment of relief that made me feel a lot better about my journey.

You live in an area most people wouldn’t think of as a Civil War hotspot, but you’ve managed to find quite a bit of Civil War history to explore. What lesson do you think that offers for other people? 

I was honestly surprised by a lot of what I found out about my hometown area. I thought it was just a tourist trap and devoid of any historical significance. It took getting my feet on the ground and really looking to discover the history underneath the horrendous traffic and outlet malls. I think it plays to that old adage of “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Every place has a past, whether Civil War or not, and it just takes a little digging to find those gold nuggets.

What inspired you to submit your first piece to ECW? 

A good deal of nudging from my husband and friends who believed I had a story worth telling. I knew it, too, but I tend to overthink things, so I sat on my Delity Powell article for well over a year before finally submitting it to ECW. I knew Delity’s story, and her connection to Pensacola was virtually unknown and I had a good, authentic piece of new research, which I’m still building on with recently dug-up information about her experiences. She displayed a lot of courage for a young girl, and I thought her story deserved more notice. (You can read that article here: https://emergingcivilwar.com/2020/10/23/delity-powell-kelly-a-child-in-a-confederate-camp/)

What are your primary area of interests?

I’m most fascinated by antebellum society, the personal lives and stories of the average civilian and soldier, the experiences of prisoners of war, and military medicine. Most recently, I’ve been neck-deep in studying the untold stories of the enslaved, especially in Louisiana and Mobile.

Lightning Round (short answers with a one-sentence explanation) 

Favorite primary source? 

The personal diary of Jacques Alfred Charbonnet of the 15th Confederate Cavalry, whose transcript is at the Tulane Special Archives in New Orleans. The immense feeling and passion he poured into his diary when he talked about missing his family and his daily troubles within the army made for an amazing read.

Favorite Civil War-related monument? 

I always liked the Confederate monument at Shiloh because of its symbolism of the reversal on the second day.

Favorite unsung hero of the Civil War era? 

All the nurses from both sides whose names may never be known to history, but their impact on the lives of the soldiers they treated were felt for over a lifetime.

What’s a bucket-list Civil War site you’ve not yet visited? 

I would love to visit the prison site of Elmira in New York. It would be the farthest north I’ve ever traveled–for Civil War purposes or not–and it ties with my interest in the prisoner-of-war experiences.

Favorite ECWS book? 

That’s impossible to choose, but I enjoyed The Aftermath of Battle by Meg Groeling. Meg is an awesome writer, and the subject itself is fascinating.