Myths of the Civil War

Here are some things that we all have learned about the American Civil War: 1.) There were battles when the air was filled with a hail of lead and it was so thick the bullets chopped down wheat and cornfields. 2.) The Confederate sharpshooters picked off selected Northern officers one by one. 3.) The death tolls were so great that on many battlefields you could walk across the field, stepping only on dead bodies and not touch the ground. 4.) The rivers ran red with the blood of the dead and dying. 5.) Mathew Brady was the first war photographer and took pictures of the major battles.

In his book Myths of the Civil War, Scott Hippensteel examines all these “facts” and explains why some of them are pure fiction. But can you learn about history by using scientific methods? Science cannot tell us what happened, but it can tell us what is not possible or probable. Dr. Hippensteel brings together history, math, and science to explore the possibilities surrounding these and other myths of the War.

I knew I would enjoy this book when I received it. I was not disappointed. I grew up next to the Civil War Battlefield in Petersburg, Virginia. I hunted for Minie balls, climbed on canons, and went through the mine shaft to visit “The Crater”. I have a working knowledge of certain aspects of the War, but I am not a historian. This book was so interesting, it was like catnip to me.

This work is not a boring treatise, but rather a book full of stories, photographs, and witty commentaries. With interesting graphs and other helpful aids, Dr. Hippensteel walks us through the suppositions every step of the way. He relates a story, then acts as a “Mythbuster” to prove if certain things were possible. Could a sniper pick off an officer from more than half a mile away? He uses ballistics and CSI-worthy trajectories to find out. He also explains how photographers envisioned their photographs to follow their narrative – moving bodies and combining multiple negatives to create a perfect scene. A word of caution – the included pictures are realistic appearing and are very graphic at times.

It is understandable for the brave men who fought in these battles to embellish their tales. Dr. Hippensteel quotes Colonel William Oates, who wrote in his memoirs, “No two men can participate in a great battle and see it just the same.” It is easy to understand how and why myths are created, but we must recognize the hyperbole and not perpetuate them as facts.

They say that the winners get to write the history. Now we have the tools and way-worth-all to discern fact from fiction and if not rewrite our history, at least make us aware of its flaws. I highly recommend Myths of the Civil War to anyone who is interested in the conflict or wants to understand how science and skepticism can further the understanding of our shared history.

p.s. I was hoping Dr. Hippensteel would refute my favorite Civil War myth – that of a female nurse being impregnated by a bullet that passed through a soldier's scrotum before being lodged in her abdomen. But alas, he did not.

It is interesting to see how authors approach subjects they are passionate about in their writing. Scott Hippensteel, a Professor of Geography and Earth Sciences, found a unique way to apply his knowledge of geology to the American Civil War. The result is the very timely upcoming release Myths of the Civil War: The Fact, Fiction and Science Behind the Civil War’s Most Told Stories.

The book is timely for two reasons. First, no matter what your political persuasion, pretty much everyone agrees that there is a significant amount of “fake news” out there. While many lament that fake news is an epidemic, Hippensteel’s book makes clear it is not at all a new phenomenon. Journalists and photographers engaged in quite a bit of their own trickery while covering battles during the Civil War. Second, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, “follow the science” has been a mantra that has been drilled in American minds for the last two years as scientists and pundits debate the value of lock-downs, school closings, mask mandates, and vaccines. Hippensteel uses that theme to counter much of the “fake news” and hyperbole that has often been used to characterize aspects of the Civil War.

Myths of the Civil War is an entertaining book that uses scientific facts and data to counter common myths or euphemisms used to describe the Civil War. This includes innocuous statements soldiers or onlookers made like “there was a hailstorm of bullets” during a battle to more serious attempts to perpetuate untruths like altering the bodies of fallen soldiers for photographs of battle scenes. Hippensteel tackles these issues one by one as he applies his knowledge and expertise as a scientist to prove why things could not have happened as described in text or presented in pictures.

Myths of the Civil War could also be a great educational tool. As a practical matter it is approximately 250 pages making it a less-intimidating read. Each chapter focuses on one making it easy for an educator to pick one to cover over a brief span with a classroom or group. It is also filled with pictures and charts to support Hippensteel’s arguments. The book is a great example of ways to incorporate cross-disciplinary learning into a text. Myths of the Civil War covers the communications field, military history, and natural science in a concise, well-written historical monograph that can appeal to various audiences.