Author: Scott Manning
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Panoramic of Little Round Top in the Autumn
This is a common view of Little Round Top from Devil’s Den, but how often are the trees that colorful? Dawn Manning took a series of photos on November 5 of this year and stitched them together to create this panoramic. This thumbnail does not do the photo justice. Be sure to click the image…
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The Gettysburg National Cemetery in the Autumn
This is a view of the Gettysburg National Cemetery from the tower on Culp’s Hill. Dawn Manning took a series of photos on November 5 of this year and stitched three of them together to create this panoramic. If you click the image for a larger version, there is plenty to see. This ground holds…
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Luxembourg’s Golden Lady, a World War I Monument
Today is Armistice Day. In America, we refer to it as Veteran’s Day and honor the living. We have since 1954. After World War II (1939-1945) and the Korean War (1950-1953), it was difficult for Americans to honor veterans only from one war. However, many in Europe still continue with their flavor of Armistice Day…
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The Strategic Importance of Stirling, Scotland
As part of tracking the warpath of William Wallace, this article looks at the strategic importance of Stirling. In the conquest and defense of Scotland, there is no location more important than Stirling where Wallace (d. 1305) and Andrew Murray (d. 1297) made their successful stand against the invading English in 1297. Scotland is what…
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Where I was on September 11
I have retold this story so many times that I struggle to recall all the details as opposed to the most salacious highlights I can rattle off in a room full of friends or coworkers struggling to tell their story. When I remember that day, the feelings remain prominent giving me only about 10 minutes…
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16 Years on the Warpath of William Wallace
When I was 15 yrs old, my parents took me to see Braveheart. It was a violent film, but they seemed to tolerate that sort of thing as long as there was history or an important message involved. This film had both. I was enamored by the kilts, the brutality of the fighting, and the…
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Scotland’s Monuments to Her Fallen Sons in the Great War
While my wife and I were in Scotland recently, we were enamored with tales of Picts, Vikings, Highlanders, and Jacobites, but we could not help but also notice the seemingly endless World War I monuments strung throughout virtually every village in Scotland. Even as far north as the Orkney Islands, I saw several monuments in…
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Video Review: The Complete Gettysburg Guide for the iPad Kindle
The Complete Gettysburg Guide for the iPad Kindle is slick and well worth the $13.77 price tag. It is in full color and easily navigable like other books. In addition, you can zoom in on the maps. To demonstrate some of the functionality, here is a video demonstration of the book. I have used the hardcover…
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The Truth about Civil War Reenactors
In American society, we tend to shun discrimination and generalization of entire groups of people unless they overly obese, Hollywood actors, or Civil War reenactors.. After the past several years, I have concluded that the latter is unfair. When the topic of reenactors comes up on discussion boards, podcast conference calls and blogs, someone will…
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Politician on the Warpath: Brian Schoeneman
Last Friday, I spent a day on the warpath with Brian Schoeneman, a candidate for Virginia House of Delegates in Fairfax, Virginia. We followed the steps of Robert E. Lee’s Maryland Campaign (1862) and the crucial battles at South Mountain, Harpers Ferry, and Antietam. Although Brian has spent the past decade in politics, he is…
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“Whoever wishes to master the art of war must study it continuously”
Whenever someone touts their x years of experience as an excuse to avoid learning, I am quickly reminded of the words of King Frederick the Great of Prussia (r. 1740-1786) and the military experience of mules. Frederick spent portions of his reign expanding and defending his small state against much larger French, Austrian, and Russian…
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Why Not Call them “Killingfields”?
Historian John Rudy has lamented the romanticizing of Civil War battles from books, documentaries, and reenactors. He believes that too many people idealize the marching and flag waving while brushing aside the carnage. When I tell people I trekked out to Gettysburg eight times last year, the first thing I am asked is if I…