Blog | Legends & Lore

“…To Die…Fighting for That Flag…”

This week we share an excerpt from my book Three Days in July – Gettysburg 1863 (available on Amazon) describing anxious moments as the Union and Confederate armies grew closer to each other on the eve of battle. If the rumors were true, there were shoes to be had in Gettysburg, possibly hundreds or thousands, an entire shoe factory. Strange that Ewell’s men had not discovered it a few days earlier. Of course, Ewell’s men had not found it because there was no factory;

djv1863

3 days ago6 min read

“…So Important an Enterprise.” (Part 4 of 4)

The reason for delay was simple; the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 charged President Lincoln with the responsibility of selecting the eastern terminus. But the President had dawdled. Whether his procrastination was due to uncertainty or whether the war had so diverted his attention that he was unable to give it serious thought is hard to say. Whatever the reason, the Union Pacific could not make one inch of progress until this critical detail had been resolved. As he c

djv1863

Dec 21, 20253 min read

“…Extended to the Pacific Ocean.” (Part 3 of 4)

The weather in eastern Nebraska Territory must have been favorable that first day of December 1863; several days later the New York Times reported that “ The population turned out en masse .” Celebration was in the air in Omaha; bands played and whistles screeched, cannons were discharged and fireworks launched. It seemed that everyone present had a flag to wave. Alvin Saunders, the Territorial Governor, turned the first shovel of soil; fittingly, a man named George Franc

djv1863

Dec 14, 20253 min read

About the Author

While Mr. Voss has been a student of history for most of his life, his first career was in
engineering. He obtained a B.S. in civil engineering from Iowa State University and an M.S. in
environmental engineering from the University of Kansas. Following a forty-year career with an
international engineering firm with which he became an officer, he decided to embark on a
second career combining his love of history and his skill as a writer. The result includes a
number of books about to be published, a set of four focused on the events of 1863, the pivotal year of the
American Civil War, another pertaining to the Second World War, and others describing events
leading to the American War of Independence.