Continuing the discussion of mapmaking during the American Civil War, we must ask the question: how were the maps made? Last week we highlighted the need for maps, but how did the cartographers actually solve the problem and create the needed charts?
Let’s take look at some history and a little science… Continue reading
I’ve always been the type of researcher that wants a good map. Give me the battle details and a good map and I can follow along, but without a map – if I don’t already know the terrain and maneuver facts – I’ll be lost. Learning how to read the terrain of a battlefield is vastly different that just reading a map, but there are similarities.
Last year I had several interesting experiences: studying the creation of rather famous battle map through archived documents, learning how to read a battlefield accurately, and getting to work with a modern mapmaker to create essential maps for my new book. All of this got me thinking about mapping during the 1860’s.
To start off Gazette665’s January theme for Friday blog posts, here are ten important overview facts to know about Civil War maps and mapmaking. Continue reading
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