In response to our good friend Eric Wittenberg’s post about his laughable, Oops! I mean ‘lovable’ Philadelphia Phillies' 10,000 loss milestone, I posted a little history on the good team that was originally from the “City of Brotherly Love,” the Athletics.

I pointed out that as disappointing as the Phillies are, the Athletics were a real force to be reckoned with ‘back in the day.’ When I worked for Baseball-Almanac, I wrote a ton of material on that franchise when I was recapping every World Series. Remember, the A’s were 104-46 in 1929 and won the American League pennant by 18 games over the New York Yankees, who had swept the World Series in 1927 and 1928. That is a HUGE accomplishment given the powerhouse that the Yankees were (ie. "Murderer’s Row").

Not two-hours after I posted that, I received an email from my good friend and highly celebrated baseball author Harvey Frommer. Harvey has a new book coming out (his 100th I think!) on the 1927 New York Yankees. I’ve been a huge fan of his work for years, and he has even included some of my material in his books.

This one looks to be another homerun and I can’t wait to read (and review) it as this book promises to be THE definitive study on the greatest line-up ever to take the field. I’ve done several pieces on the '27 Yanks over the years, and I am sure that Harvey has a multitude of insights and recollections that have never been published. I’ll keep you posted on more information in regards to this exciting book and it’s release.

“Five O’Clock Lightning: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and the Greatest Baseball Team in History” by Harvey Frommer

Drawing on oral histories, long-buried letters, and other archival material, Harvey Frommer presents the definitive account of a legendary ball club, offering the facts and stats that fans love, revealing the colorful and sometimes controversial details of the lives of the players as well as what happened to them after the storied season.

Harvey Frommer (New York, NY, and Lyme, NH) is a celebrated oral historian and sports author who has written almost 40 sports books, including “A Yankee Century” and “Red Sox vs. Yankees,” and has appeared on numerous television and radio programs. Cited in the Congressional Record and the New York State Legislature as a sports historian, he is Professor Emeritus, City University of New York, and a professor at Dartmouth College in the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies Program.

Every once in a while you get an email that really makes you feel good about the things that you have labored to accomplish in your life. Today, I received a message from a young man who lives in my hometown of Green Tree Borough, which is a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In it, he expressed how much he enjoyed my book “Onward Christian Soldier” and that he was happy to discover that two of my titles were available in the local Green Tree Library. He also stated affection for Stonewall Jackson who was “a courageous Christian,” and he added that the librarian had said some nice things about me.

Now I share this story not in a prideful way, but in a most humble and thankful one. The boy’s name is Brian, and he reminded me of myself when I was his age. As a kid, the GTL was one of my favorite places to go. I took out EVERY book on the Civil War that they had, and I know that my mother had to pay more than one fine for a Bruce Catton title that I refused to give back. Brian’s enthusiasm for the subject is evident, and I hope that he continues to pursue it as his generation represents the historians that will be writing about our time.

It is truly a blessing to receive praise from your peers and other adults, but the experience is much more humbling when a kid like Brian takes the time to pat you on the back. Thank you for your email Brian. I will continue to do my best with you in mind, and I only hope that I can give your gracious accolades justice.

I’ve posted before about my children’s experiences while learning about the Civil War in school. It’s no surprise that the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania school districts spend a great deal of time studying the 'War Between the States' as so much of it took place here. All of my children’s schools are located near VA Civil War Trails and/or roadside markers of significance, and each one uses a variety of media resources in order to present a very fair and balanced course.

One of these invaluable resources is the Educational Planner that has been made available online by the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park Service. In addition to tour stop options, field trip guidelines, teaching plans, and other educational resources, the site also provides teachers and students access to a wonderful array of archives including newspaper files and “The Valley of the Shadow” project.

Regardless if you are a teacher or not, these resources are an excellent tool to help teach your children about the events that transpired here and/or plan a trip to the area that is both educational and entertaining.

Many of our local museums are also incorporating more ‘hands-on’ school-related activities such as the Civil War Life Museum, who now offers a Civil War photography 'class' in which students learn about the history of the medium and then have wet-plate photos taken of themselves. The Free Lance-Star recently ran an article on this new program in which Harrison Road Elementary teacher Cheryl Hodges stated, “Kids tend to remember things that are made more personal for them."

I couldn’t agree more.

I'm not sure what the thermometer reads where you're at, but it is HOT here in Central Virginia.

And I’m not just talking about ‘hot’ as in 'a nice day to wear shorts to work’… I’m talking about scorching, stifling, sweaty, take your breath away ‘hot’ that sucks the hydration right out of your body as you walk to your car, and then causes rashes to occur in places that you never even knew you had.

For weeks, we've been sweltering, and cruelly teased by Mother Nature with lots of lightning and thunder, but very little rain. Everything outside (and organic) is dead, and brown, and wilting. The water in my pool is evaporating an inch or so every day, and people who work outside for a living are dropping like flies from heat exhaustion. As of this hour (4:30pm), it says that it is 93-degrees here in Fredericksburg, with a high of 96 and a heat index of 98. And we are slated to hit 100 tomorrow!

I’m not exaggerating either, as I just returned from a late lunch where I parked in a lot opposite one with an ambulance that was peeling some poor, unconscious soul off the pavement.

I cannot imagine what it must have been like to experience these kinds of heat waves during the Civil War. Honestly, I would not have lasted a day with a wool uniform and no central air-conditioning. (I’ve been a Virginian for going on 14 years now, and I distinctly remember getting used to the climate after I moved here from Western Pennsylvania. It’s a process of transforming your blue ‘Yankee’ blood to gray.)

Anyway, this got me thinking about heat and it’s affect on the war...

So, I did a little research online, nothing major, and found some information on an event that transpired under similar conditions. After doing a Google search for ‘hottest temperatures recorded during the Civil War,’ I was able to find an article on The Battle of Richmond, which was fought from August 29-30, in 1862.

According to the accounts that I read, “The battle was fought in three phases -- at Kingston, Duncannon Lane, and in the Richmond Cemetery -- during a time when Madison County was in the throes of a severe drought.  The temperature was some 96-100 degrees in the shade as crops withered in the fields and livestock were short on water all along Old State Road from the southern border of Madison County at Big Hill to the county seat in Richmond.”

Records indicate that, “Of the 6,500 Union troops who went into battle, some 4,300 were taken prisoner and more than 1,000 were either killed or wounded. The Confederates, who were some 6,600 strong, lost only 128 men, 118 who were killed, and 10 listed as missing in action.”

It appears (to me) that the Southern forces managed far better under these conditions than their counterparts from the North. I wonder if the extreme temperatures had much to do with the overwhelming Confederate victory of these engagements?

I’m gonna go jump inside an ice machine and ponder this. Stay cool.

Today has been one of those ‘wonderfully stressful’ days that leave you both exhausted and invigorated all at the same time. Needless to say, I have jumped headfirst into this latest book project (*see announcement below) and spent the better part of this morning communicating via email with the publisher, as well as the church and NPS reps, in order to begin the process of acquiring source materials and media from their archives.

It has been close to two-years since I released a book (I've written one other during that time) and I have not felt this excited in a while. I now recall what Richard, Eric, JD, Kevin, Michael, and all the others feel when they discuss the status of their latest books online. I missed this feeling, and although I have several magazine and newspaper stories in progress, this book is a most welcome addition to my plate.

The good folks at The History Press have been absolutely outstanding and I am very much looking forward to working with them, as they truly appear to care about the authors that they represent. Apparently, promotional opportunities and a release party are already being discussed and I haven’t even written a word beyond my original proposal. That makes me feel VERY GOOD, as their confidence in me is more motivation than I’ll ever need.

In addition to treating their people right, HP is also graciously open to the author’s suggestions, and although they have a ‘set’ count on the amount of content that they want, their contracts still allow for flexibility. This option enables the author to tell the whole story in the manner that the subject requires. Tentatively, I have a 10-month window to complete the manuscript, and the book will have approx. 35,000+ words (4000+ words x's 8 churches + Introductions and Index) w/ 50 photographs. As I am already receiving tremendous support from both the churches and the NPS, I firmly believe that the readers will have a very original and insightful piece when it’s completed.

Over the last few weeks, I have made some new friends and I am really looking forward to more new relationships with fellow Christians and historians from my area. Most of all, I am looking forward to sharing little-known or neglected stories from our area. I plan to include as many noteworthy accounts as I can from the recollections of local Shepard’s (such as Rev. Tucker Lacy) and their first-hand impressions of people such as Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, to the institution of African-American churches, and their members’ experiences that took place following the war. It’s going to be a lot of work, but I am so grateful to have been granted this opportunity.

How blessed are we to get to do the things that we love - and then have the fruits of our labor enjoyed by other people? The answer is VERY.

I just recieved an email on the Stonewall Brigade's SCV Program at The Paxton House on August 11th. This looks to be a GREAT event and I invite all of you to attend as many of the proceeds are going towards The Paxton House Restoration Project. Here are the details: 

The Paxton House "Civil War Day," Saturday, August 11th from 10 am - 8 pm. Come see an encampment of reenactors from the famed "Stonewall Brigade" once led by General Elisha Franklin "Bull" Paxton upon the Paxton House lawn. The camp will open at 10 am where you can see demonstrations of camp life, Civil War medicine, and meet "General Robert E. Lee" and others. Have your "old tyme" picture made in a uniform or hoop-skirt, and visit the sovenier tent. At 5:30 pm, come enjoy free music provided by Dorsey Hostetter and the Maury River Blue Grass Band on the front porch while enjoying the homemade ice cream for sale to benefit the Paxton House restoration. This will be fun for the whole family.

Last week, I posted that I “might” have a BIG announcement coming up. This was done more for my benefit than yours, as I was eagerly anticipating the answer to a prayer. Well, today I am so very excited and proud to announce that my prayer has indeed been answered.

As of today, I have agreed to sign on with The History Press for my first secular (and fourth) book: “Houses Of The Holy: Historic Churches of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania.” And, as I have the exclusive cooperation of our city’s church historians, as well as our local NPS, I can share the details with you here. (I’ll be signing the final contract later this week and I am ecstatic about the possibilities of this endeavor.)

The History Press specializes in regional history titles and they contacted me a few months ago inquiring if I would be interested in writing a book about our area. I pitched the idea of doing one on our landmark churches and they loved it. As you know, there are several noteworthy houses of worship in our area with historical significance from the Colonial, Civil War, and Reconstruction era. These include: Fredericksburg Baptist Church, Old Salem Church, Massaponax Church, Fredericksburg Presbyterian Church, St. George’s Episcopal Church, Fredericksburg United Methodist Church, Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site), and Zion United Methodist Church.

This opportunity is a real blessing to me as I am a huge fan of History Press’ catalog. Several of our fellow CW-bloggers, including Michael C. Hardy, have published books through HP. In fact, his eighth book, “Remembering Avery County: Old Tales from North Carolina’s Youngest County” was just announced.

My plan is to present a concise history of each of these churches, showcasing their origins, as well as the historic events that they witnessed firsthand in the 18th and 19th Centuries. HP also wishes to include at least 40 photographs (some period and some from today) to compliment the narrative, so I’ll be picking through their photo archives and shooting both the exterior and interior of each building for a modern perspective.

The key to making this project special is the concerted effort that I’ll be making to present a complete-perspective from local Christians of all colors and denominations who witnessed our country’s great divide. Each one of these citizens and soldiers, black or white, were called upon to show great adversity, yet they were somehow able to rise above the trial and become the congregations that we still have today. I look at this book as a testament to how faith sustained our city’s believers and I want to strive to present a historical narrative that goes beyond the usual brick and mortar presentation.

Another blessing is the enthusiastic cooperation of John Hennessy, the local Chief Historian/Chief of Interpretation for the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania NMP. He is on board for this project and will be providing me with access to an array of previously unpublished material from the National Military Park’s archives. John is also the one who encouraged me to take this book further to include the stories of the institution of the African-American churches during the Reconstruction Period. This is a much-neglected aspect of our local history and will surely make this title stand out. Therefore, our goal is to present the experiences of the entire population including the Confederacy's soldiers, civilians, AND former-slaves.

This project will span at least 10-12 months and the key component is the cooperation of the churches themselves. Most of these congregations have their own “in-house” historians who will be providing copies of and/or access to the necessary reference material and media. Each one has pledged their support and I feel a tremendous responsibility to get their stories right. I also welcome the challenge of presenting this multi-racial-perspective that encompasses all of the Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania Christians whose historical experiences and perceptions will most certainly cover a broad range of emotions and memories.

Many Southern historians who specialize in the history of the Confederacy, myself included, tend to approach this period in a ‘bubble’ of sorts. As a result, we often find ourselves writing strictly from the perspectives of the white-southern-secessionists. And although I vehemently maintain that it is extremely important to honor and acknowledge this aspect of our heritage (I will continue to do so), we also have to recognize that there were two other groups of our citizens sharing in the same wartime experience. This would be the local Unionists and the African-American population. Therefore, there are actually three completely different perspectives to our area-Christians' experience during the War Between the States. With this book, I hope to encompass all of that in order to present a complete narrative in regards to our landmark churches. Each one is just as important as the other and they all deserve to have their stories told. I’ll keep you posted as this exciting book progresses.

As I was browsing through our CW-community's latest postings from today, I saw that fellow blogger Kevin Levin is hosting a 'History Carnival' over at Civil War Memory. To be honest, I was completely unfamiliar with this concept, so I did a little reading up on it at their website. It looks to be a great opportunity to share your favorite blog-postings with other historians. According to the History Carnival website, "The goal of blog carnivals like this is to provide a regular showcase of the best blogs - well-known and not so well-known - in their fields. Basically, a carnival consists of a listing, usually with editorial comments by a host, of a range of recently published blog posts; most carnivals rotate around a number of hosts, bringing diversity of presentation and different perspectives within the subject theme. Frequencies vary depending on the topic; the History Carnival is currently published on the 1st day of each month."

Kevin was nice to accept my post "Then vs. Now" in regards to perceptions that need to be 'remembered' when touring battlefields. I'll post a link to the carnival when it goes up. For more information on how you can enter, visit Civil War Memory.

There aren’t that many historical subjects out there that can catch my fancy beyond the realm of the Civil War. One in particular that has is the life and times of the great Virginia patriot Thomas Jefferson. Ever since I viewed a PBS/Ken Burns documentary on TJ a few weeks back, I’ve been VERY interested in this American “renaissance man.” I’ve also had this nagging desire to get off my butt and make the relatively short drive over to Monticello. I haven’t been to Jefferson’s magnificent estate since I was a kid, and I vaguely remember falling head-over-heels “in love” with the place. As one who favors other great Virginia patriots such as Lee, Jackson and Stuart, Jefferson appears to be a hero of my heroes.

I’m thinking about purchasing a book on the man and I spent several hours over the last week browsing through his online autobiography. I also discovered a really neat web-blog dedicated to Thomas Jefferson over on World History Blogs. This simple, yet brilliant site is maintained by author Tara Koellhoffer who posts quotes from the Forefather in response to current-events. I have added a permanent link to Tara’s site over on my blog roll and look forward to becoming a frequent visitor.

If anyone is aware of a great, definitive study on Thomas Jefferson (not too heavy), I would really appreciate a recommendation. I’m looking for a good narrative that presents the complete man – not just the politician. Thanks in advance and don’t forget to check out Tara’s blog. It will definitely give you plenty of wisdom to ponder.

I added some updates over on the Pinstripe Press website this weekend including a brand new Photo Album feature. Although I am by no means a professional photographer like “Virtual Civil War’s” Mike Lynaugh or Ranger Mannie, I do enjoy the hobby and usually take several hundred pics when doing my battlefield jaunts and museum appearances. This gallery features my own personal favorites and I will be adding more of my “artsy” shots on a fairly regular basis. So far I have scenes from Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Antietam, Manassas, Ellwood Plantation, Richmond, NC coastline, with many more places to come including Winchester, Rockingham and Harper’s Ferry. Enjoy!