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June 19, 2013

不良研究所 professor publishes 16th "Disunion" article in the New York Times

Dr. Terry L. Jones, professor of history, has contributed another article to the New York Times online 鈥淒isunion鈥� series commemorating the Civil War鈥檚 sesquicentennial, and three of his previous articles are included in the new book Disunion! published by the Times. 

Jones was also invited by the British Broadcasting Company鈥檚 BBC History Magazine to write an article for its special 150th Anniversary Edition on the Civil War. 

鈥淭he Mississippi Marine Brigade鈥� is Dr. Jones鈥� latest 鈥淒isunion鈥� article. 

It was published May 17 and explains how the unit became one of the most controversial of the Civil War. 

Officially a part of the U.S. Army, the Marine Brigade was stationed on ships and patrolled the Mississippi River Valley fighting Confederate guerrillas.

The brigade was under neither the army nor navy鈥檚 command and answered directly to the Secretary of War. 

Soon the Marine Brigade became notorious for looting and arson. It burned every Louisiana village along the Red River from Alexandria to the Mississippi and was involved in the burning of Richmond, the parish seat of Madison Parish, Louisiana.

Because of its criminal activity and questionable military effectiveness, the Marine Brigade was eventually abolished by the War Department.

The New York Times compiled 106 of the 鈥淒isunion鈥� articles into a book by the same name that was released this month.

The book is being offered as a monthly book club selection by .

Three of Dr. Jones articles were included:  鈥淭he Southern Cross鈥� (an examination of how the Confederate battle flag came to be adopted), 鈥淯nder the Knife鈥� (a look at Civil War surgical practices), and 鈥淭he Free Men of Color Go to War鈥� (a short history of the Louisiana African American soldiers known as the Native Guards). 

The editor of the BBC History Magazine enjoyed Dr. Jones 鈥淒isunion鈥� pieces and invited him to write an article for its 150th Anniversary Edition about the Civil War. 

Jones鈥� article 鈥淕enerals in Command鈥� presents short biographical of eight of the war鈥檚 most important generals.

To read "The Mississippi Marine Brigade", visit:

For Further Reading

The New York Times has published 15 other articles by Jones since 2011, and are available for reading on the New York Times' Web site:

(March 2013) deatials how both the North and South frequently used ciphers and codes to encrypt sensitive information that was transmitted through written orders, telegrams, and flag signals.

(January 2013) tells the story of Gen. U.S. Grant digging a canal to try to change the course of the Mississippi River;

(December 2012) is a history of the Union鈥檚 famous Irish Brigade, a unit made up of mostly Irish immigrants;

(November 2012) takes a look at surgical practices during the Civil War;

(October 2012), tells the story of the Louisiana Native Guards, the first African American unit in the U.S. Army;

(October 2012) tells the story of Gen. Leonidas Polk, Louisiana鈥檚 Episcopal Bishop;

(September 2012), discusses the Louisiana Tigers in the Battle of Antietam and two photographs;

(Aug. 2012), discusses the symbolic battle for the fight over the Louisiana capital;

(July 2012), details how two units, one Union; one Confederate, fought against each other in 1862 found themselves fighting alongside each other in Iraq;

(April 2012), which delivers an insightful look into the life of Confederate War Department Secretary Judah P. Benjamin;

(April 2012), which details how Union Flag Officer David Farragut and the Navy won a "stunning victory" that put the Union one step closer to securing the entire Mississippi River;

(May 2012), describes Benjamin F. Butler's brutal rule over New Orleans;

(Dec. 2011), details how two Louisiana soldiers were among the first to be executed in the Civil War;

(Sept. 2011), tells how Louisiana soldiers in Virginia became famous for both misbehaving and battlefield heroics; and

(July 2011), which details how Louisiana soldiers gave birth to the famous Confederate battle flag.

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