Civil War Quarterly
At Barnes & Noble about a week back I picked up a new magazine, Civil War Quarterly. I had heard nothing about the magazine, and still can’t find a website for it, or any mention of it on the web. So I had to resort to prehistoric methods and technology, namely reading the masthead and publication information and making a few phone calls (keeping in the pioneer spirit, I used my land line.)
The long and short of it is the magazine is an experiment by Military Heritage and Sovereign Media. I got in touch with Carl Gnam, a mucky-muck there who has been in the biz a long time, and he told me that the magazine has been floated out there to test the waters. If the reaction of the public is strong enough there will be a Volume 1, Number 2 (that’s Number 1 to the left).
This is a thick-papered, glued magazine, like other quarterlies you see on the stand. The editor is Roy Morris, Jr, whom you may know from several books on the Civil War and Reconstruction period. Other than him I’m not familiar with the other writers in this inaugural issue. According to Mr. Gnam these fellows write on a broader range of military history topics and are not Civil War specialists per se. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that – there are lots of Civil War specialists out there, but not all are outstanding writers.
The offerings here are of a more general nature: articles on Lincoln’s election, Ft. Sumter, Bull Run, Wilson’s Creek, Ball’s Bluff and Belmont (see the 1861 theme?), with a few more specialized pieces on “interforce amphibious operations”, Jefferson Davis in the War with Mexico, and life in Union camps.
There are a few print errors, most notably one which deleted the end of the Bull Run article by Earl Echleberry. And at another point in the magazine there were some funky font choices, but I imagine these will be one-time things if the publishers decide to move forward with this endeavor. I’d personally like to see a little info on the authors included.
It’s hard to comment much on the Bull Run article due to the printing SNAFU, but the author does make the standard claim that McDowell’s plan required that Patterson hold Johnston in place in the Valley in order for it to succeed. I don’t want to sound like a broken record – just keep your eyes peeled for an article addressing this issue in an upcoming issue of America’s Civil War.
There’s also not a lot of advertising in Civil War Quarterly. While that may change a little if the magazine survives, I for one can live without another advertisement for schmaltzy Forrest and Jackson products.
UPDATE: Starting with the Early Summer 2013 issue, the publication is now published on a regular quarterly schedule.
Harry Smeltzer
Bull Runnings 
Thanks Harry for the heads up on the Civil war quarterly. I called the media dept. and was told that this journal is ONLY available at newsstands and not subscription at this time. I am going out hunting to check it out for myself. Thanks again. Paulette Atlanta GA
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Thanks for the heads-up. If I remember correctly, Roy Morris, Jr., was also at the helm of “America’s Civil War” 10-plus years ago…it’s a better magazine now than it was then, but that’s my opinion.
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I have been reading more on Major General Robert Patterson, who was 70 years old at the time of Bull Run. He was actually senior to McDowell yet McDowell wrote the battle plan.
I think I agree with General William T. Sherman. Bull Run was the best written and the worst executed battle of the Civil War. All the generals stood around and argued about what to do and did not work together. That pretty much remained a theme throughout the Civil War.
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In fact Patterson was only a Major General of PA Militia. He was subject to the same term of enlistment as other militia, 90 days, and when that term expired at the end of July he was relieved of his command. Same for Daniel Tyler, whose BG of CT militia expired at the end of August.
Contrary to popular belief, Patterson only had 6 years of active military service under his belt before taking on command at Scott’s request: 1812-1816 and 1846-1847. That’s why Scott advised him to lean heavily on his subordinates with regular army experience, subordinates like George Thomas and Fitz-John Porter. Is it any wonder he moved tentatively in the Valley?
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[…] So I had to resort to prehistoric methods and technology, namely reading the masthead and … – ReadmoreThe simple secret behind this is that THEY ARE FUNNY. They understand what is funny and humorous (at […]
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You saved me alot of time trying to find intel on the new magazine “CWQ”
Thank you for information I received copy of magazine as Birthday gift from my son John. It’s a new magazine attempt per your intel and I hope they continue with little ads. Good reading material. Interesting article on “weapons” regarding
James Bulloch. I am friend’s with his descendant.
Cav-Scout Sharpshooter (CSS) John
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Mr. Smeltzer,
Thank you so very much for the information on the first issue of Military Heritage Presents Civil War Quarterly, and what the possibility of future issues is according to the company.
I looked at the company’s website, and on the internet in general, and there was no mention of it, except for your helpful post. So again thanks!
Enjoy the Sesquicentennial.
Regards,
Brian
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We bought Civil War Quarterly at our local downtown news-stand a few months ago. My eleven-year-old son is an intense history devotee of the period and is eagerly looking for the next edition of the magazine, seemingly to no avail. We’d like to see the magazine continue and have asked the business owner to contact the publishers.
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It doesn’t look like this mag made it past issue #1. But there are others out there: check out Civil War Times, America’s Civil War, Civil War Monitor, and Blue & Gray.
UPDATE: Starting with the Early Summer 2013 issue, the publication is now published on a regular quarterly schedule.
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FYI, Roy Morris, Jr. was the editor of Military Heritage from 2004 until he accepted the same position at Civil War Quarterly. I was shopping at Vons today and picked up the ‘Early Summer 2014″ edition of CWQ and feel they have ironed out any issues they may have had to deal with. The artwork is excellent with a good mix of articles (I’m happy to add that I wrote the cover story, Brawl at Brawner’s Farm, I’m a freelance writer). The price is 9.99 but there are twice as many articles as a bi-monthly magazine like Military Heritage. I called Sovereign Media and as of yet I have been unable to subscribe, as another person wrote earlier, apparently it is available only on newsstands. All the magazines I write for are unanimous–the demand for Civil War articles remains extremely strong, more than any other conflict by far. For that reason, Military Heritage always has at least one article on the Civil War in each issue. Keep up the good work, John Walker ps I would like to see a ‘letters to the editor’ section in both these magazines, do not know why they don’t have them
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