Once upon a time, hot air balloons were used as spy vessels, female militias wielded pitchforks, and Southern soldiers battled one another in epic snowball fights. Turns out American history is full of surprises.
Nine Times in American History When a Woman Saved the Day
Although often overlooked, women played a fundamental in the founding of the United States and our nation’s early conflicts. Here are nine times in American history when a woman saved the day.
The Loyal League
It may be that the best spies leave no trace. But it shouldn’t be a secret that in a 2007 publication, the CIA identified information from African Americans as "the single most prolific and productive category of intelligence obtained and acted on by Union forces throughout the Civil War."
Balloons in the Civil War
Whimsical. Colorful. Recreational. Quaint. If you've only encountered hot air balloons in modern contexts, you may struggle to imagine one striking fear in a soldier's heart. But in fact, balloons were a formidable presence for a few years of the Civil War, used for surveillance and reconnaissance primarily by the Union but also by the Confederacy. Here are nine things you need to know about this surprising military technology.
Beer and Bullets: The History of Beer in the Civil War
Sawbones. Crazy Bet. Killer Angel. These are just some of the names of beers that today bear names inspired by the Civil War. Along with historical names, breweries throughout the nation have also chosen Civil War inspired locations or recipes, and the National Museum of Civil War Medicine has even teamed up with a brewery to create its own unique, history-themed beer. It is tempting to think that this easy relationship between beer and these people and places dates back to the war itself.
Head-Tilting History sparked from a desire for engaging stories to share with all audiences, to build a new — or grow a long-established — love of history. Please share this exciting content and send feedback to web@battlefields.org.
