I know, I know… three blog posts in one day!? Are you nuts, Robert? Especially considering my trend over the last three months, of maybe blogging once a week, or every other week.
Still, Harry just posted something interesting, and I figured that I’d pose another question…
Who are Civil War bloggers?
I left the following comment over at Harry’s blog…
You know… another interesting thing to consider is “Who are Civil War bloggers?” What’s interesting about this is, the majority are not academians (despite what some may imply), nor do the majority “do” history as a means of supporting themselves. Granted, some may have made their way through the ivory tower(s) at some point, maybe even written a book… or two… or three… etc., but their approach [meaning, for the most part, in the blogs] is not academic in nature… and that, frankly, is a good thing.
It’s that chance given to these folks (myself included), through the blogs… that ability to express their passion for different aspects of the subject. That’s pretty awesome. I also like that chance that it offers to break free from those chains that seem to continue to keep writing “static” when it appears in print.
Let me offer this picture of the majority of the folks who have Civil War blogs…
From what I’ve seen and know… the typical (average… which might also be the majority of us) Civil War blogger is not one who teaches… in any institution, at any level. Instead, the majority have a wide range of occupations. They are professionals in some field… and in those day jobs… it most likely isn’t working in a passion that they have for Civil War history (I call it working to support my habit!)… though there are some rather lucky folks out there, who do Civil War blogs, and get to do the National Park thing… I think to myself… “ahhhh… to only dream”. So, in some ways, writing about the Civil War is that chance to touch the thing they love. He/she writes with that passion behind the fingers that strike away at a keyboard… in a study/library, in a living room, bedroom, a restaurant (woot! I got my chance at that just yesterday)… wherever. He/she comes home from a day of work and, at some point, sits down in front of the computer to express him/herself through the subject matter (maybe even at work sometimes… but we won’t go there…). Thoughts may have been bubbling-up in the mind all day… or over a couple of days… or longer. But, what they are doing is “sharing” those feelings within themselves, that what they are writing about is important to them… or seems to strike a nerve on that day, or at some point leading up to that day. Maybe they hope that someone else shares that passion as well. Maybe they want to make a point, feeling strongly about something.
What do you think? Do you assess Civil War bloggers based on people you know who blog about the Civil War, or… are you just guessing you know them?
Honestly, I’ve made contact with some great folks within the Civil War blogosphere. I’ve even had the chance to interact with them in person on occasion. I’ve had a chance to meet with several, and sometimes tour a Civil War site or two together. Most recently, I had the chance to meet Kevin Levin, while I was in Boston. We had a great time. Otherwise, when we’re not blogging, or interacting in-person, some of us spend time offline, through emails, tossing around thoughts about the war; sometimes thoughts about the science of blogging. It’s an interesting network of people, and a diverse range of folks at that, but they share one thing… one thing is central and creates that “sphere”… it is the Civil War.
Now, let’s see if I can juggle this and my current run of posts about Southern Unionists… not to mention my thoughts that will come out in the next several days about Gen. John Pope’s series of general orders. And that’s another thing… when we aren’t writing/blogging… how much time do we spend thinking about what we want to write about? I’m getting exhausted just thinking about it!
This is a view from my perspective as a blogger… from Saturday. Sitting back in my recliner, in my family room, with one of my dogs asleep next to me. Not from within a classroom or a professor’s office. Just plain old me kicking back on a Saturday morning, away from work and ready to jump into some Civil War history.
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Greg Rowe
July 18, 2012
You and I have discussed that, in journalism, this idea is referred to as “citizen journalists.” It stands to reason that, at some level, history bloggers, whatever their chosen topic or approach to blogging, might be considered “citizen historians.” I know, I just heard the doors fall off the hinges of a thousand history professors’ offices! But, just like the news cycle has become a real-time effort, studying and discussing history needs to become so as well. Perhaps, more people would find it interesting if they are driving the discussion themselves. For the most part, it’s working in journalism. And real-time history assessment will go a long way in debunking misconceptions we all have of the past and its memory.
Robert Moore
July 18, 2012
I think the “citizen historians” is an interesting framing of who bloggers are. The release of restrictions, so commonly associated with writing in academia, also comes to mind in this regard. Thanks, Greg; you’re giving me more to think about.
Greg Rowe
July 18, 2012
I’ll point out, also, that citizen journalism should not be confused with public service journalism (see ProPublica.org) any more than citizen historians should be confused with public historians, or those writing about history as a public service. In both cases, there are differences, the biggest one being that, usually, neither the citizen journalist nor the citizen historian does this as a career. The second major difference is either personal interest or local input, sometimes both, influence the editorial decisions of both citizen journalists and citizen historians. Public service journalists and public historians are usually trained in the profession and hold professional titles and are subject to an area of expertise or an editor driving editorial decisions.
Jim Miller
July 18, 2012
I came to the Civil War and Civil War Blogging from a couple of different directions. I have always had a love of history, but that glowing ember was fanned into a flame during high school when I read and later watched John Jakes’ “North and South” trilogy.
While I was in the Air Force I began tracing my family history. When viewed through the eyes of your ancestors history takes on an added dimension. While doing some genealogical research in my local (at the time) library in Osceola, Iowa, I came across a reel of microfilm of the Osceola Union Sentinel. I popped it in the reader and I was off.
Thumbing through the blibligraphies of most Civil War books, I’ve noticed that the most frequently sited newspapers came from the large cities, New York, Richmond, Atlanta, Chicago, etc. The historical nuggets contained in these small town newspapers are too often over looked! Combined with the fact that next to no one (and I do mean only a couple of dozen people at most) knew of the existence of the Osceola Union Sentinel, I decided to start transcribing articles from it and posting them on line… I looked at various websites and a blog seemed to be the most efficient way of publishing this too long neglected information. Then I found other archives of Civil War newspapers from small towns on line to transcribe as well.
Since I am a native Iowan, and now live in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and have an interest in the battles of Forts Henry & Donelson, and Shiloh, I tend to transcribe articles from papers from February to May of 1862, and tend to concentrate on Iowa troops, but that by all means is not the extent of my research or my blogging. Aside from transcribed newspaper articles I also post biographical sketches fo soldiers, and book reviews as well.
My voice is purposefully absent from the blog. I let the articles and documents speak for themselves. Also, I have somewhat of an inferiority complex . . . I know I know more than the average person on the Civil War, but I feel that I don’t know enough to write orignal postings. Transcribing these articles, reading and reviewing the books, is my way of total emersion learning. In the end the title of my blog, Civil War Notebook, very aptly describes exactly what it is. By blogging I’ve not only learned a lot, I’ve made it available for the public at large as well, and just maybe some day I may pick up a book, and see the Osceola Sentinel Tribune sited as a source along side the New York Daily Times…
Robert Moore
July 18, 2012
That “overlooked” part is a big deal to me also, Jim. When some of us see gaps in history, and we find what appear to be missing pieces that fit, we want to bring this stuff forward. Some folks use it to rewrite history, but it’s not really about that… at least in my opinion. It’s about adding adding items that give us a better vision of the things the way they were overall. Keep up the blogging!
neukomment
July 18, 2012
There also is the blogger whose blog is not specifically about the Civil War, but who will from time to time, among all the other things they blog about, do a post related to the Civil War.
Ron Baumgarten
July 18, 2012
Bravo, Robert, you really hit the nail on the head with this one. I think I’d like to circulate this post to those family and friends who just don’t “get” why I blog about the Civil War or understand what it is all about. It really is an all-consuming passion, and an incredibly satisfying way to read, write, and research different aspects of the Civil War, particularly if you can’t do that for your day job. There are many ways to pursue the Civil War in the form of a hobby or interest — reenacting comes to mind — but I think blogging is one of the best ways to do so. And sometimes blogging intesects with other manifestations of the hobby, such as when I write about visits to Civil War sites or a new addition to my antique book/newspaper collection. And your point about thinking about what’s next–that drives me crazy as well. I have some many ideas, and so little time. Ah retirement, only 20 years away. 🙂
Robert Moore
July 19, 2012
Thanks, Ron. I don’t know that a lot of folks can relate to what keeps us going, other than it’s just our passion, and that’s simply the way it’s understood. But even then, I think we have to stop and evaluate it for ourselves. A little time to self-assess, I suppose.
brettrschulte
July 18, 2012
“Overlooked” is where I fit in, I think. My Siege of Petersburg site is solely due to the fact that almost no one seemed to be writing about the Petersburg Campaign circa 2003-2004. You had the H. E. Howard books, Richard Sommer’s massive Fifth Offensive book Richmond Redeemed, Adny Trudeau’s book, and John Horn’s overview. That’s about it for modern studies. I started blogging about the Civil War in general first, but now my time is split about 70-30 on Petersburg versus TOCWOC. Thankfully, the dearth of Petersburg books seems to be slowly coming to an end. I think there have been something like 5 books on the Crater alone in the past ten years! I study Petersburg primarily because I don’t have as many secondary sources to rely on as if I studied one of the more popular campaigns. I WANTED to dig through newspapers on microfilm, back issues of the National Tribune online at the LOC’s Chronicling America web site, and find random official reports, especially from the Confederate side, which never appeared in the Official Records but which I can share with people.
I also want to comment on how helpful and friendly almost everyone I’ve come into contact with has been, from published authors, to professors, to publishers, to archivists, to the amateurs like me who study the Civil War as a hobby. You meet a ton of people very much like yourself when doing this, and blogging on the Civil War has been such a new positive for me over the years that I don’t see myself ever not having a web presence as long as I live.
Robert Moore
July 19, 2012
Absolutely, Brett. It’s those “gaps” that are so motivating. For me, when it comes to people, it’s like giving folks a voice they either never had in the discussion, or has been lost over time. Southern Unionism, especially in the Shenandoah Valley, is prime stuff in that regard. As for the Web… I’m constantly trying to figure out how to better deploy information, but it’s not about the physical structure, but more about the rhetorical pitch… and I don’t mean trying to convince someone something… not necessarily. Rather, it’s about trying to write so that others can see what you see, and hopefully that they form some appreciation for that “picture.” That alone merits another blog post.
Robert Moore
July 19, 2012
This is all good stuff, and I hope more bloggers chime in and share thoughts. I think much of what has been said so far is a pretty good glimpse into who we all are.
Damian Shiels
July 20, 2012
This is a really interesting discussion and makes us think about why it is we started blogging in the first place! I started my own effort one weekend as I wanted to get back to doing military research on Irish people (which I used to do in a past job), and I also felt that there is a terrible gap in knowledge in my own country (Ireland) about the sheer numbers of people from the island caught up in the Civil War. The American Civil war is marginally behind World War One (which now receives large scale attention) as the conflict which directly involved the largest numbers of Irish people.
I often wonder if I had realised that weekend how much time I would end up spending blogging if I would have run a mile. The truth is though I hadn’t factored in is just how addictive it becomes- it is now my greatest form of escapism and is something I would gladly do fulltime if I had half a chance. I absolutely love sifting through primary data to try and discover nuggets of information, and combining that with some of the excellent scholarship out there to tell stories about these men and women’s lives.Given that I am also based in Ireland it is a tribute to the incredible work carried out in the United States that it is actually possible to carry out large amounts of primary research online, at a remove of thousands of miles.
Blogging generally is a testament to how the internet has made the world a smaller place- I have had a great opportunity to have dialogue with fellow Civil War bloggers in the US, have been privileged to help out a couple of Civil War authors with Irish based elements of their research, and also helped people find out more details about their own ancestors in the war. The only thing I have not yet managed to do is ever visit the United States to see some of the sites I write about so much! However that is something I will have to rectify soon. In a nutshell though, I have to say blogging about the Civil War is the best non-job anyone could ever wish for!
Robert Moore
July 23, 2012
You hit on a couple of things, Damian, that ring true with me as well.
“it is now my greatest form of escapism”
Indeed, it is. I think writing about some things is the next best thing to going out to visit some places. When I can’t hit the road and visit a place, writing seems the best possible solution to filling that need.
Regarding sifting through primary data. Absolutely. That’s great stuff, especially when you know you’re turning that raw data into a story.
I think you are right, also about blogging making the world a smaller place. What impresses me, also, is the fact that a blog post is somewhat infinite (emphasis on “somewhat”), at least when it comes to engaging others. It’s an open-ended piece sitting out there, where someone might be able to chime-in at any time. It creates a world without a timeline.
Thanks for commenting, Damian.
Harry Smeltzer
July 20, 2012
For me, the blog was just a way to focus my interests and save some money. I had no self control when it came to books. But since deciding to concentrate on First Bull Run, I’ve managed to cut back – a bit. My blog is schizo: there’s the part that incudes original, editorial content, news, and such. Then there’s the “database” part, from which I try to exclude any commentary – just “primary” data and biographical info on the campaign. What this presents to the “reader” – I don’t like to use that word for folks who visit the “resources section” of the blog – is a completely different way to learn about the events. I’ll call it non-narrative, but of course it consists of many narratives. The “reader” is in fact a researcher, whether he knows it or not, and is building his own impression based on what items he decides to read, in what order he reads them, and how he weights them. He constructs his own narrative, which may change from day to day. This is how I see my blog being a completely different animal than print “histories.”
Robert Moore
July 23, 2012
Your comment touches on another post that I’ve been thinking about developing, Harry… “How, as a Civil War blogger, do you write to reach others?” There’s a range of diversity in the mix, but it’s interesting to see how different bloggers might address this, and lay open their “strategy”, including why they use a particular one.