Here's to the ladies
Today I am starting research for a piece that will be published in the upcoming issue of the Spotsylvania Presbyterian Post, which is a newsletter that is printed and distributed by my church. Every other month, I get to write a 900-word, full-page feature on something Civil War-related, and it is always a challenge to take a subject of local historical significance and put a religious-spin on it. For March, I have decided to do something a little different and present several vignettes on “Great Women In The Civil War.” This is to coincide with “Women’s History Month” and the editor really liked my initial outline. After all, for every swashbuckling cavalier and gritty commander, there is a courageous heroine whose contributions are equally worthy of our praise.

I have decided to do tributes to Mary Anna Morrison (Mrs. Jackson), Emeline Pigott (CSA Spy), and Mary Ann Montgomery (Mrs. Forrest). This is not entirely new territory for me as I wrote a biographical study on Jackie Mitchell a few years ago for Baseball-Almanac. In fact, out of the 375+ pieces that I did for them, that bio (and another on Lou Gehrig) has been reprinted more than anything else that I have ever done. It has appeared in books, magazines, journals, websites, and was even quoted on ESPN Classic. I get emails on that one all the time.

I should score some "brownie points” too, as I’m a guy who works in an entire department of women, has two bosses that are women, and goes home at the end of the day to three women. (If not for my teenage son, three Bible-study buddies, and weekly phone conversations with my father, I would have zero manly-man contact in my life.) So off I go to get back in touch with my feminine side. I’ll keep you posted.