Alabama History Civil War

One of the most studied and written about episodes in US history, the American Civil War remains the subject of cultural and historiographical debate. The conflict was one of the earliest industrial wars in which mass-produced weapons were employed. The mobilization of civilian factories, shipyards, transportation, and food supplies all foreshadowed the impact of industrialization in World War I, World War II, and subsequent conflicts.

A masterful, concise history of one of the greatest states in America. From the vibrant shorelines of the Gulf Coast to the rolling foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Alabama, often known as 'The Yellowhammer State', holds a uniquely colorful place in America's historical tapestry. 'The Yellowhammer State: A History of Alabama' by Daniel Hardy is a compelling journey through this Southern state's rich and intricate past. Hardy brilliantly transports readers to the pivotal moments of Alabama's history, from the early Native American cultures to the era of French and Spanish exploration,...

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist reveals the little-known story of the Union soldiers from Alabama who played a decisive role in the Civil War, and how they were scrubbed from the history books.

On June 19, 1864, just off the coast of France, one of the most dramatic naval battles in history took place. On a clear day with windswept skies, the dreaded Confederate raider Alabama faced the Union warship Kearsarge in an all-or-nothing fight to the finish, the outcome of which would effectively end the threat of the Confederacy on the high seas.

Hannah Sparrow leaves her corporate job in the Midwest to pursue the quiet life of a small Alabama town. There, she becomes fast friends with her neighbors, Earl and Lisa, who introduce her to life in the Land of Dixie. The three volunteer at the archeological remains of LaGrange Military Academy, formerly known as the West Point of the South. Hannah’s invited to view the school’s archives, where she stumbles upon a century-old cadet journal detailing conflict and intrigue at the academy. When the journal ends with the disappearance of the cadet and a mysterious riddle, Hannah and her ...

After the first year of the Civil War, the Confederacy was faced with a serious problem. While the South had enjoyed some stunning victories on land, they had been all but cut off from the world at sea. The more industrialized North had realized that in case of an extended war, the best way to defeat the Confederacy was to starve it of supplies. The rebels started the war with no real navy to speak of, and so the federal government quickly set up a blockade of all southern ports and river mouths.

In July 1862, Confederate Captain Raphael Semmes took command of a secret new warship. At the helm of the Alabama, he became the most hated and feared man along the Union coast, as well as a Confederate legend. Now, with unparalleled authority, depth, and a vivid sense of the excitement and danger of the time, Stephen Fox describes Captain Semmes's remarkable wartime exploits.

Alabama endured warfare, slave trading, squatting, and speculating on its path to becoming America’s 22nd state, and Daniel S. Dupre brings its captivating frontier history to life in Alabama's Frontiers and the Rise of the Old South. Dupre’s vivid narrative begins when Hernando de Soto first led hundreds of armed Europeans into the region during the fall of 1540. Although this early invasion was defeated, Spain, France, and England would each vie for control over the area’s natural resources.

An outstanding primary source of Southern life during the Yankee blockade, the book is a memoir of daily life on a Southern plantation during the Civil War. The narrative provides details on a wide spectrum of issues of historical interest.

In the rural town of Paxton, Alabama, a high school junior lives in the shadow of a father he never knew—a railroad stationmaster who died after being drafted into WWII just before his birth. Years after his father's death, a twist of legal fortune granted his family ownership of the abandoned rail yard adjacent to their home. It is here where the boy and his new girlfriend, Samantha, discover an incredible secret: the “Tullahoma,” a forgotten Civil War-era locomotive of historical significance tucked away in an old repair shop on the deserted property. Aided by their history teacher,...