Civil War

New Study Raises Civil War Death Toll

Joe Corcoran — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:14:20 +0000

A newly released study has raised the estimated deaths from the Civil War by almost 20 percent. Joe Corcoran speaks with WKU Civil War historians Dr. Glenn LaFantasie and Dr. Jack Thacker.

Researchers Say Kentucky's Battle of Perryville took Place at a Key Time in the Civil War

Dan Modlin — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 19:00:00 +0000

A significant Civil War battle took place in Kentucky on October 8th, 1862. The Battle of Perryville claimed the lives of about 7600 soldiers, and some historians now say the battle was more important than some researchers thought in the past. Dr. Glenn LaFantasie of the WKU Institute for Civil War Studies and WKU Military Historian Dr. Jack Thacker say Confederate forces moved into the state, hoping to get Kentuckians to join their cause.

Former FBI and CIA Leader to Visit Famous Kentucky Battlefield

Associated Press — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 13:19:52 +0000

In his storied career as a federal judge and former director of the FBI and CIA, William Webster was guided partly by the great-grandfather he never knew who died on a Civil War battlefield. His ancestor, Union Col. George Penny Webster, was mortally wounded in savage fighting at the Battle of Perryville on Oct. 8, 1862, the biggest Civil War confrontation in Kentucky.

Civil War Battlefields in Kentucky and Tennessee Get Funds to Buy Land

Associated Press — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 13:06:28 +0000

Eight Civil War battlefields, including three in Kentucky and Tennessee, are receiving more than $2.4 million in grants to help with land acquisition. The National Park Service said the grant money will help in the permanent preservation and protection of the battlefields. This year marks the 150 year anniversary of several important Civil War battles.

Historians Reflect on the Effectiveness of the 37th Congress

Dan Modlin — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:54:06 +0000

As Congress has struggled to move ahead with a variety of legislative packages in recent years, some WKU historians have drawn a contrast between contemporary lawmakers and those who made up the 37th Congress. That Civil War-era group of legislators were successful in passing several significant pieces of legislation at the same time the nation was split by the war between the Union and Confederacy.