Myth, Stories, and Legends from the American Civil War

The American Civil War ended over 150 plus years ago and yet there are places in the American South where the War Between the States lives on through living history and monthly meetings. Over the last 5 months I have studied the Civil War with new eyes, listening to personal stories as they were handed down through families, towns, and whole areas. My goal was to find the human aspects of the war and I found it one story at a time. I visited reenactments, confederate meetings, Christmas parties, and medal ceremonies, staying quiet about my own beliefs, opinions, and ideology as I listened and learned. Histories I learned as a child were shattered, ignorance that would have kept me far from the people I met were quieted, and my sense of adventure was ignited. My stories are fictional but they are based on legends and family histories. My education and writing about the Civil War will continue far after my grant is done and my presentation is over. This journey has been life changing