"The Lady Lieutenant" and "Castine": Two Wartime Novels Featuring Women Soldiers

The female warrior motif in literature was nothing new by the outbreak of the Civil War.  By that time, writers had been included them in their works for hundreds of years, their stories including tales of daring young ladies who boldly stepped outside the domestic sphere to experience adventure denied their gender.  Two novels published during the war exemplified this genre.

Cat Fight at Ten Paces....or....Oh No She Didn't!

The first recorded duel in what would become the United States occurred between Edward Doty and Edward Leister, two servants, in 1621, a year after the Mayflower landed.  More face offs occurred in the subsequent years to settle disputes and by 1777, duelists were following the code of duello, which was written by Irishmen to provide guidelines for the conflicts.  An "Americanized" version was published by South Carolina governor John Lyde Wilson in 1838. A variation of this code is still utilized in sports today, particularly among hockey players.

My Talk for the Jackson Military Road Chapter of the DAR

I ended this year’s talks in the same place where I started, my home state.  But unlike the first, my last scheduled presentation didn’t deal exclusively with women who fought in the Civil War.  This time I ventured into new territory as I spoke to the Jackson Military Road chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in Purvis, Mississippi.   I was very honored to be invited by Carolyn Ruegger who taught me math at Pearl River Community College.  Her daughter, Anita Morrow, also taught me math.  Throughout my life, God has placed influential people in my path who have helped mold me into the person I am today.  Mrs. Carolyn and Mrs. Anita are among these.