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My new book trailer! Featuring A Beautiful Glittering Lie and A Beckoning Hellfire - both part of the Renegade Series.

Moving To New Blog Site

Hello everyone. This is to inform you that I will be moving to a new blog location. My new blog is at www.abeckoninghellfire.com. Please check it out! I apologize for any inconvenience, and look forward to corresponding to you with my new blog. Thank you so much for your continued support!

Lee-Jackson Celebration

Last Saturday night, the Sons of Confederate Veterans Samuel A. Hughey Camp 1452 celebrated Generals Lee and Jackson's birthdays with a special dinner honoring the occasion. A good-sized crowd turned out to honor the two Confederate generals, including members of the Varina Howell Davis Chapter 2559 United Daughters of the Confederacy.

The participants enjoyed a splendid dinner prepared by Linda McCan who, in this writer's opinion, should start her own catering business! Following dinner, Compatriot Jeppie Barbour, who is Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour's brother, gave a talk about the two celebrated generals.

The gathering participated in a candlelight vigil honoring the two generals as well as each member's ancestor, who was called out by name. Afterward, a drawing was held, whereby some individuals won grab bags containing Civil War movies, toiletries, etc. The annual dinner was a great experience for all.

Walmart Trial to Start on Tuesday

The trial deciding whether Walmart will gain hallowed land near the Wilderness Battlefield in Orange County, Virginia will start today.Pulitzer Prize winning author and historian James McPherson will be called to testify as a volunteer expert witness. The trial will take place in Orange County Circuit Court and is expected to last a week.

The Battle of the Wilderness, which took place on May 5 and 6 in 1864, is considered to be one of the most decisive battles of the Civil War. 185,000 soldiers participated, and 30,000 became casualties. McPherson's testimony will elaborate on the importance of this land, and the historical significance it plays. The proposed Walmart site will destroy land on and around the battlefield.

McPherson won the Pulitzer Prize for his book, "Battle Cry of Freedom." He plans to play on the judge's sympathies by relating the graphic details of wounded and dying men who were taken to a field hospital that was located less than a mile from the proposed Walmart site.

UDC/SCV Represented at Local Library

This morning I had the privilege of attending the Horn Lake Library with two of my dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. Lynne Herron, where we gave a presentation about the War Between the States to approximately 200 children. It was a lot of fun, and the kids were great! They were all very well-behaved, attentive, and curious about what people 150 years ago lived like.

Our presentation included performing several Civil War songs. Miss Dorothy talked about our period clothing and the language of the fan. Mr. Lynn discussed what a typical soldier in the army had to endure, and he brought along Civil War paraphernalia for the kids to experience, including a cannon ball, bullets, cooking utensils, and weaponry.

We gave each one of the kids a piece of hardtack. Most said they liked it! The event was the first in a series that we plan to give as living history lessons to local school children, as well as Seniors in Action and other groups.

Happy Birthday General Lee!

Today marks the anniversary of one of the Confederacy's most beloved generals, Robert E. Lee, who was born in 1807. His childhood birthplace, Stratford Hall Plantation in Virginia, still exists and has been restored to its original condition. It is rumored that when young Robert moved away at age four, he ran to the angel carving above the fireplace and kissed it goodbye.

Lee graduated from West Point at the top of his class in 1829 and embarked on a career as a civil engineer. He married Mary Custis at Arlington on June 30, 1831. The couple had seven children over the course of the next thirty years. Upon the onset of the Civil War, Lee was a colonel with the U.S. Army. He resigned his position to join the Confederacy, and was named general within months. The next four years would take a terrible toll on his country, his health, and his family. Despite his age, General Lee led his soldiers to victory many times, and his men loved him like a father, affectionately calling him "Marse Robert."

Following Appomattox, Lee avoided arrest and was appointed president of Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia. He served until his death five years later, on September 28, 1870. His citizenship was restored by President Gerald Ford on January 30, 1975.

General Lee, a deeply religious man, was admired for his dignity and devotion to duty, not to mention his military genius. Many southern states honor his birthday with observed holidays. He is immortalized in a carving on Stone Mountain, Georgia, as well as numerous statues and paintings.

Library of Congress Receives Gift

Late last year, a private collector named Tom Liljenquist from McLean, Virginia, donated a treasure trove of Civil War era tintypes to the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. The donation was the largest one that the library has received in fifty years.

Approximately 700 images are included in the collection, most of which are those of Union soldiers who have yet to be identified. Also included are photographs of women, children, and African-American soldiers, which are considered to be quite rare.

Mr. Liljenquist donated his collection in order that it could be made available to the public for free. To honor his wishes, the Library of Congress plans a major exhibition featuring the photographs in April.

Many of the images can be viewed at loc.gov/rr/print/caption/captionliljenquist.html.