Met My Challenge / Goals – and then some!

Baby steps on a very long walk!

Marked Men: The Tattoos of New York Irishmen, 1863

Really interesting article and well-researched. The subject of Civil War soldiers bearing tattoos is something I’d like to know more about. Seems quite incongruous to me….

Irish in the American Civil War

The enlistment records of many Irish recruits during the Civil War provide detail on age, height, hair/eye colour and complexion. Although informative, this data still leaves us without a picture of life experience, or any insight into character. One exception was those men who enlisted in the Union navy. The marks and scars they acquired during their lifetime were recorded on enlistment, providing us with a unique opportunity to garner more detail about both their appearance and their personalities. Perhaps most fascinating of all are those marks that the Irishmen had chosen for themselves- their tattoos. 

A German Stowaway at Ellis Island. Although taken in 1911 this gives an idea of the types of tattoos prevalent (New York Public Library Digital Gallery, Digital ID: 418057)

I have recently examined the enlistment records of the New York Naval Rendezvous for July 1863 to create a database of those Irishmen who enlisted during that…

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From the Spirits of Bad Men Made Perfect project…

The Delight of Research Never Ends!

From The Spirits of Bad Men Made Perfect project… never-ending research is bliss to me.

Pohanka Reflection: Antietam National Battlefield

Really interesting post via Twitter from one of the top Civil War historians (Peter Charmichael) working today. I need to noodle on this a bit and then I think I’ll have a comment/reaction.

Spirits of Bad Men Made Perfect – Book Promo Site

Well, I have been quiet for many months…  revising drafts, making changes, editing, editing, getting distracted, traveling, research, reading, more revisions…. and the book promo web site “The Spirits of Bad Men Made Perfect“.

Hope you’ll follow the link, have a close look, and let me know what you think. Load up the comments either here or there. Share the link. Tell a friend. And please, if you see anything at all that needs to be corrected – LET ME KNOW. As important is general feedback. This is still in beta and it’s better to correct errors now before I start to really promote it.

I seriously hope you will leave me a comment – either good or bad. I REALLY want to know what you think.