Six Gems of Forgotten Civil War History [Paperback]

Frank W Sweet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 2005

-- Six Civil War Tales by a Historian Reenactor -- 1. The Minstrel Show: Was minstrelsy racist to the root, or was it just vulgar working-class theater? This essay examines the minstrel show's folk origins, outlines a typical performance, and traces its legacy in American entertainment today. 2.The Longstreet Controversy: Learn why Confederate General James Longstreet's reputation was destroyed between 1872 and 1890 by two still-alive falsehoods: that Lee's defeat at Gettysburg lost the war for the South, and that Longstreet caused Lee's defeat. 3.America: War Service of a Racing Yacht: Find out why the world's most famous sailboat, who gave her name to the America's Cup regatta, became a Confederate blockade-runner in the war, was scuttled, and then re-floated to become a Union blockader. 4.Yulee's Railroad: Florida's first railroad and the men who built and ran it. For years, the Union held both ends; the Confederates held the middle. The 1864 battle of Olustee was fought over it. The survivors of the 1923 Rosewood massacre owed their lives to it. 5.The Evolution of Rifle Tactics: Why didn't Civil War soldiers take cover? Learn why it took 65 years for tactics to catch up with technology, Claude Minié's invention of the military rifle. 6. The Evolution of Indirect Fire: Why didn't Civil War artillery shoot from behind a hill? Learn why cannons deployed in the front line to fire directly at the enemy until technology changed tactics.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

These six essays were originally published in individual pamphlets sold at Florida historical site gift shops.

About the Author

Frank W. Sweet was accepted to Ph.D. candidacy in history at the University of Florida in 2003 and has completed all but his dissertation defense. He earned an M.A. in History from American Military University in 2001 and a B.E.E. from Cornell University in 1964. He is the author of several historical booklets currently in print and numerous published historical essays. He was a member of the editorial board of the magazine Interracial Voice, is a regular lecturer and panelist at historical conferences, and moderates an online discussion group on the history of U.S. racialism.

When he began his Ph.D. program, he was a reenactor in Company A of John Poe’s regiment of the First New York Engineers (also known as Serrell's Engineers), and his studies focused on the military history of the Civil War (weapons, tactics, strategies, logistics). But his research direction changed and his doctoral dissertation wound up addressing the historical unfolding of the U.S. color line.

In those same years, Frank also switched from reenacting a combat engineer to performing a civilian impression. Today, Frank and Mary Lee Sweet are reenactors, storytellers, and musicians who live in Palm Coast, Florida. Their living-history interpretation is of a civilian couple of the Civil War era, whose avocation is performing songs of the minstrel shows. Their presentations emphasize the musical works of Stephen Foster, Daniel Emmett, George Root, Henry Work, Benjamin Hanby, and other songwriters of the period.

Due to the change in Frank's research direc-tion, six of his early thesis chapters did not make it into his dissertation in its final form. And yet, those chapters comprise entertaining essays in their own right. All six are based on primary sources. All six deal with topics that have been neglected by stan-dard Civil War history courses and texts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Backintyme (April 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0939479028
• ISBN-13: 978-0939479023
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,881,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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