by Tim Rowland
First published 2011
The American Civil War generated countless dramatic headlines, but the most outrageous tales often escaped public notice. Newspaper columnist Tim Rowland and retired Antietam National Battlefield superintendent have assembled forgotten stories that would have dominated social media feeds in their day. These accounts reveal the war's absurd side through military blunders, financial scandals, and remarkable coincidences. Union General Dan Sickles embezzled money designated for his own commemorative statue, leaving an empty monument base. The conflict killed over 600,000 soldiers but claimed even more horses in brutal cavalry charges and supply operations. Brigadier General Philip Kearny lost an arm yet continued charging into battle, gripping his sword in his remaining hand while clenching his horse's reins between his teeth. The collection spans amazing survival tales to incredible chance events that altered history's trajectory. These bizarre, funny, and outrageous incidents provide Civil War enthusiasts and history lovers with entertaining trivia absent from traditional textbooks.
Genres: history, american-civil-war, american-fiction, 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-fiction
Setting: Antietam National Battlefield
Period: Civil War
226 pages · Kindle Edition · Skyhorse Publishing