Civil War Blunders, Secession

Clint Johnson became interested in history in fourth grade when he was told the exciting story about a battle near Tallahassee, Florida, where young men and boys saved the capital (The Battle of Natural Bridge).

"Every 10-year-old boy wants to be a solider, and I imagined myself propelling the advance," he said.

Johnson is the author of nine books on the Civil War. , he will be signing books at 2 Rules Fine Art and giving presentations on three of his books: A Vast and Fiendish Plot: The Confederate Attack on New York City, Civil War Blunders and Pursuit: The Chase, Capture, Persecution and Surprising Release of Jefferson Davis.

Six of Johnson's books are tour books and take you to sites associated with the war. "I try to tell the history of what happened at these sites by going there and seeing what's there now," Johnson said. "I try to bring history alive to these readers that may never get to these sites, but through the photographs and written descriptions you can see what those are like."

Johnson has also written one book on the American Revolution and one on the South.

"You can go see where these historic events happened; it's in our backyard, in the North and South. You can easily go walk on the ground that your ancestors fought on. I love the idea that everybody can easily connect with their roots by going to visit these sites in just a couple of nights drive."

Johnson counts Confederate soldiers from Florida, Georgia and Alabama among his ancestors. 

Looking at History

was the  first time the Medal of Honor was given out. "We're looking at the origin of the most prestigious medal the U.S. Military can give. The fellows came down on what was essentially a suicide mission. It's a story of very brave men doing something they knew they could get captured or killed for."

In his lectures and books, Johnson focuses on the people involved not just the hard facts. In his book Civil War Blunders, Johnson tells "the stories of the doofuses of the war. We know about the heroes; but with Civil War Blunders, I tell about the guys that got drunk and shot each other rather than shooting the enemy."

The Confederate Attack on New York City tells the story of what "could have been one of the worst terrorism attacks in history. New York City could of easily been destroyed in one night, and probably 200,000 people could have been killed in one night."

The lecture and book detail the Nov. 25, 1864, firebomb attack on New York City by six Confederate officers. Had the attack been successful, New York City would have burned to the ground. Johnson talks about how the plot unfolded and then lists the more lethal targets the Confederates missed that would have assured the destruction of the city.

Johnson will also talk about Jefferson Davis and the legal issues of secession. "At the time, the United States really believed that secession was legal. So if you particularly have an interest in legal history that lecture is something to hear. I'm the first person to really look at that side."

When Davis was captured in Georgia, it was assumed in the North he would be charged, convicted and sentenced for treason. That never happened because the Union could not find a crime Davis had committed.

"We know the South seceded, and we know the North won the war," Johnson explained. "But the legal aspect has never been determined. Was secession legal?"

This presentation and book look at the legal issues surrounding Davis's two-year imprisonment in a military prison and the Union's desperate struggle to blame him for the war.

"History is out there. It's now electronic and there's a lot of stuff you can still discover," Johnson said. "The process of writing is not all that exciting, but the process of discovering is always exciting. It's a thrill when you uncover something every other person has missed."

April 12-15 Schedule

Visitors to will have an opportunity to meet Civil War author and historian Clint Johnson at .

"This is not just another talk," he said. "It'll show the men and women involved in history and show sites that are involved in the story. They are very interactive slideshow presentations that I'll be doing."

Johnson will have three different presentations.

"I can guarantee you'll hear and see stuff haven't seen before."

Friday, April 13 at 6 p.m.: Slide presentation and book signings for A Vast and Fiendish Plot: The Confederate Attack on New York City.

Saturday, April 14 at 11 a.m.: Johnson will be signing copies of his Civil War books as well as his Revolutionary War until noon.

Saturday, April 14 at 2:30 p.m.: Slide presentation and book signings for Civil War Blunders, which details 69 true stories of how both sides made horrendous but funny mistakes.

Saturday, April 14 at 6 p.m.: Slide presentation and book signings for Pursuit: The Chase, Capture, Persecution and Surprising Release of Jefferson Davis.