For the last decade or so, I have been working on the story of Civil War veterans and how they commemorated the defining event of their lives. My book, Across the Bloody Chasm: Reconciliation in the Wake of Civil War, ought to be out pretty soon. So stay tuned.

My next major project will look specifically at Union veterans who migrated West. It turns out, a great many did. My question involves sectionalism. I will be noting the ways in which American sectionalism moved from a North/South to an East/West axis and how Union veterans incorporated their new western sectional ideas to their preexisting identities as northerners. What did this mean to the national – and reconciled – image? We’ll have to see.

As a side project, I am currently revising an essay on Confederate soldiers’ morale during the Siege of Petersburg. This short essay shows the high spirits of a group of men suffering under the harshest conditions.

My primary focus these days is to connect the world of academics with the power of social media. Look around. You’ll find me..usually challenging, critiquing, engaging, reviewing, or just plain shooting my mouth off on some social networking site. This isn’t just for fun. Social media is the future. It is how the public communicates. And the People have opinions on stuff (like the Civil War). Can you think of a better way to broadcast a message? Didn’t think so.