In "Civil War Trivia and Fact Book" more than 2,000 unusual, interesting, and little-known facts are assembled in a volume that will tantalize the mind at every page.

What Confederate general could be identified at a distance by the ostrich plume in his hat? How many Southerners migrated to the North during the war? How many Northerners moved to the South? These and hundreds of other questions are answered.

Included are 33 fascinating sidebar articles, lists of little-known facts, and 48 unusual photographs and stories. A thorough index makes the "Civil War Trivia and Fact Book" a valuable resource for students and researchers.

As a member of the elite Mitchell Thunderbolts, Pvt. John Gilleland had an idea he was sure would bring a quick end to the war―a double-barreled cannon. Fired simultaneously, its barrels would eject a pair of balls connected with a chain in order to "mow down Yankees as a scythe cuts wheat." Legend has it that in its sole test firing, balls whizzed around in erratic fashion and killed three Thunderbolts.

Transportation magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt prized each of his ships. But as a patriotic gesture, he agreed to sell a 1,700-ton vessel that bore his name to the Federal government―at his own price. He asked for, and received, exactly one dollar.

Think you know your Civil War History? No matter how well-versed you think you are in Civil War facts and trivia, this book will enlighten and entertain you with little-known details of one of the most important events in American history. Civil War Trivia and Fact Book is your ultimate resource for mastering the minutia of America's War Between the States. Compiled by Civil War expert Webb Garrison, this book is packed with more than 2,000 fascinating facts about the war, its prelude, and its aftermath. This treasure trove of trivia and information includes: events that happened in both the North and South between 1861 and 1865 the distinguished military and political leaders of the day key issues that defined the Union and the Confederacy famous first events of the war, and more This wealth of information is presented in simple question-and-answer format and is a perfect book for a history buff or someone interested in learning more about this historical and signature event in American history.

"Are you more likely .. ."

to take the bull by the horns or beat around the bush? Don't let anyone call you on the carpet for failing to put your best foot forward. That would be a bitter pill to swallow. In the long run, it's easier to just bite the bullet and get your ducks in a row. After all, nobody likes the taste of humble pie.""

You've likely uttered at least one of these adages within the last week, but have you ever stopped to consider where such conversational staples originated? "Why You Say It "reveals the backstory of more than six hundred words and phrases that pepper our everyday dialogue. This catalog of our language's most colorful expressions delivers an illuminating read for anyone curious about the evolution of words.

More than 100 true stories of comrade killing comrade:

• defective ammunition
• accidental shootings
• blinding smoke
• deliberate fire upon comrade
• mistaken uniforms
• inexperienced troops
• unknown passwords

On May 2, 1863, Stonewall Jackson was on the verge of the greatest victory of his career. Shortly before 10 P.M. he rode through the woods near Chancellorsville, Virginia, to find where the Federals had established their line. As he returned, his own men, in the noise and confusion, opened fire, woulding Jackson several times. One of the Civil War's first heroes died eight days later.

Stonewall Jackson's death is but one example of Confederate killing Confederate or Yankee killing Yankee. No war was as intense and chaotic as the American Civil War. Author Webb Garrison has brought together Jackson's story and 150 other instances of friendly fire in this unique book that strips away the romanticism of the Civil War.

" With] night setting in, it was difficult to distinguish friend from foe. Several of our own command were killed by our own friends." ―Ambrose Wright at Malvern Hill

"I thought it better to kill a Union man or two than to lose the effect of my moral suasion." ―Union Officer Louis M. Goldsborough

"Whilst in this position my regiment was shelled by our own artillery. The officer in command should be made to pay the penalty for this criminal conduct." ―Confederate Col. Edward Willis, speaking of a battle at Gettysburg

"Seemingly not content with the speed that the enemy were slaughtering us, one of our own batteries commenced a heavy and destructive fire on us." ―Union Maj. Thomas S. Tate, speaking of Tupelo, Mississippi

"More Civil War Curiosities" contains strange but true stories from the four-year conflict that raged across a one-thousand-mile battle front with more than three million men in uniform. Anything could and often did happen. Webb Garrison recounts instances of friendly fire casualties, the unperfected art of spying, banishments and deportings, grisly tales of missing limbs, name changes for both people and ships, disguises that worked (and some that did not), and many "firsts" and "lasts."

Fragging, or purposely killing a fellow soldier, was the probable cause of the death of Thomas Wilson, a tyrannical Federal general. He died in action at the battle of Baton Rouge when, according to one account, he was seized by a group of his own men who held him in front of a cannon before it was fired at the enemy.

When Confederate Gen. Jubal Early marched on Frederick, Maryland, he offered not to torch the town for a payment of $200,000. It took the townspeople a day to borrow the money―and 87 years to pay it back. When Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, failed to raise a ransom of $500,000, Early's subordinate, Gen. John McCausland, burned the town to the ground.

The arm of Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson was amputated when he was wounded at the battle of Chancellorsville. Following the operation, Jackson's corps chaplain gave the arm a respectful burial―complete with a gravestone―in his family's cemetery. When the general died a week later, the rest of him was buried in Lexington, Virginia.

Hiram Ulysses Grant was mistakenly listed as Ulysses Simpson Grant by the congressman appointing him to West Point. Grant did not protest, and the name stayed with him all the way to the presidency of the United States.

True stories of unusual happenings during the civil war.

In 1861, Wilmer McLean, distressed that a cannon ball crashed through his home during the battle of Bull Run, moved to a farm where "the sound of battle would never again reach him and his family." Almost four years later, McLean's Appomattox Court House home was used for Lee's surrender to Grant. There wasn't damage from cannon balls, but souvenir-hunting Union officers left McLean's parlor bare of furniture.

After the Confederacy was defeated, Jefferson Davis was stripped of his citizenship. He died as a man without a country. His citizenship was restored by Congress during the administration of Georgian Jimmy Carter.

Three members of the Guillet family were killed while riding the same horse, which was then given to the Ohio Ninety-eighth regiment. Three officers were killed while riding the same horse. Lieutenant Milliner, the senior officer left on the field, then jumped on the jinxed horse. He escaped death, but suffered all his life from an arm shatterred by a minie ball while he was in the saddle.

"Civil War Curiosities" uncovers those unusual persons, attitudes, and events that take you beyond a textbook understanding of the Civil War. A collection of fascinating anecdotes and colorful stories, this book covers a wide variety of subjects, including "newfangled" weapons that changed the nature of war, the press' outrageous inaccuracy in covering the conflict, the phenomenon of "silent battles, " and various disguises, atrocities, and mix-ups.

Fifty-three fascinating tales introduce readers to the people, places, and events that shaped a nation and changed the world. Indexed and illustrated.

When the Civil War broke out, leaders on both sides had to develop strategies for fighting the conflict and considered almost any suggestion. This book chronicles some of the most intriguing and unusual plans devised by these leaders.

Are you a lover of language?

Awaken your passion for words, and savor the sheer deliciousness of the things people say

"Casual Lex" holds the hidden pleasures found in our usage of words. This fresh edition of the classic "Why You Say It" will turn you on to the fascinating―and often surprising―stories behind everyday words and phrases. Experience "Casual Lex" and discover:

• The phrase "hell on wheels" comes from the early American practice of renting railway flatcars to create rolling casinos and brothels bound for the Wild West.
• "Gibberish" was the word coined by English villagers to describe the hard-to-understand dialects of certain bands of Gypsies.
• "Gymnasium" comes from the Greek word "gymnos," which means "naked"―Greek athletes trained and competed in the nude.

If your joy of language has been aroused, then many more surprises await you. After all, even the most formal users of our language can benefit from a little "Casual "Lex.

Here is a fascinating and humorous encyclopedia of more than three hundred

words and phrases and how they have taken on new meanings over time. It is an

informative reference book for the whole family. "What's in a Word?" is a

sequel to Garrison's popular "Why You Say It." Indexed.

Each of these collections of unusual, interesting, and little-known tales provides insight into the people and history of these states. Counter displays of all books are available. All are illustrated and indexed.

The Civil War is most often described as one in which brother fought against brother. But the most devastating war fought on American soil was also one in which women demonstrated heroic deeds, selfless acts, and courage beyond measure. Women mobilized soup kitchens and relief societies. Women cared for wounded soldiers. Women were effective spies. And it is estimated that 300 women fought on the battlefields, usually disguised as men. The most fascinating Civil War women include:

• Harriet Tubman, a former slave, who led hundreds of fellow slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad
• Four hundred women who were seized in Roswell, Georgia, deported to Indiana, and vanished without a trace
• Belle Boyd, the "Siren of the Shenandoah," who at the age of seventeen killed a Union soldier
• "Crazy" Elizabeth Van Lew, who deliberately fostered the impression that she was eccentric so that she could be an effective spy for the North

"The poor fellow sprang from my hands and fell back quivering in the agonies of death. A bullet had passed between my body and the right arm which supported him, cutting through my sleeve and passing through his chest from shoulder to shoulder." ―Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross

"We were all amused and disgusted at the sight of a thing that nothing but the debased and depraved Yankee nation could produce. A woman] was dressed in the full uniform of a Federal surgeon. She was not good looking, and of course had tongue enough for a regiment of men." ―Captain Benedict J. Semmes, describing Mary Walker, M.D.

There are few systematic guides to the language used by the generation that fought the American Civil War. In the 150 years since the great conflict, our language has changed, and as meanings have become obscure or lost, links with this vibrant past have dissolved and much of that which had meaning to our forefathers no longer has the same meaning to us.

What did it mean to cross the bar""? What did it mean ""to see the elephant"" or ""to go South""? Why did the armies have so-called ninety-day men and hundred-day men? What were soldiers supposed to do when their commander shouted, ""Let her go, Gallagher""? How did one ""pay tribute to Neptune""? What was a ""picket pin""? Could one make a passable meal of ""possum beer"" and ""secession bread""? How did one ""vibrate the lines, "" and why would anyone want to attempt such a maneuver?

To address this need, Webb Garrison has pored over his notes from more than thirty years of research and study to produce this dictionary and encyclopedia of words and phrases (including nicknames and slang) commonly used during the war. Where appropriate, examples and anecdotes are included to illustrate meanings. Often overlooked naval terms and esoteric formal and informal military expressions are addressed as well as short descriptions of oceangoing vessels and river craft.

More than 2,500 entries and 250 illustrations cover the terms, equipment, and organization of the three million soldiers who fought in the war.""