Books for the Civil War Buff in Your Life

Visit a Louisiana landmark that tells a big piece of the American story.

Fort Jesup was founded two centuries ago, a bulwark on the youthful nation's western frontier. During its long run as a military post, it was visited by over one thousand soldiers and officers, many of whom would make a lasting impact on American history. The long list of luminaries includes Presidents Zachary Taylor and Ulysses S. Grant, over forty officers who would become Civil War generals, and two Surgeons General, one of whom would treat Abraham Lincoln after he was shot. Thousands of settlers also passed through on their way to Texas, using the fort as a waypoint on their journey. As citadel and stopping post, Fort Jesup played a critical role during the nation's formative years. Author Scott DeBose shares the sprawling story of this Louisiana icon.

Discover an Historic Hidden Treasure in African American History

With more than 30,000 interred in its 15 acres, Zion Cemetery is the largest African American community burial ground in Memphis. It was opened in 1876 by former slaves to establish a sacred burial ground for people of color. It is the final resting place of luminaries like Reverend Morris Henderson, who led the founding of the cemetery, and Dr. Georgia Patton Washington, Tennessee's first African American physician. Lynching victims Thomas Moss, Calvin McDowell and William Stewart rest there. The cemetery is also the final home of Thomas Franks Cassels and the grandparents of Dr. Benjamin Hooks. Dr. Peatchola Cole-Jones details the rich history and more.

Centered in the Confederacy's Atlantic states, Columbia was one of three untouched Southern capitals at the end of 1864. Its factories produced uniforms, swords, belts, bullets, gunpowder and cannonballs, all vital to the war effort, until the fiery onslaught of Sherman's invasion cut a swath through the city. Tom Elmore, local Civil War historian and tour guide, presents over sixty significant sites throughout the Greater Columbia area that were marked by moments of triumph and devastation during the war. Readers will find the stories behind both well-known and infamous places, including the Horseshoe on the University of South Carolina campus, the gruesome 1864 prisoner of war camp, the ruins of one of the largest textile mills ever built and the monument commemorating the spot where the great city was surrendered.