As I have not provided an update regarding my book, Small but Important Riots, Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville, in quite a while, I thought I would so today. I signed a contract with Potomac Books, an imprint of the University of Nebraska Press in October 2021, and I mailed the completed manuscript to the editor in December. The folks there have been moving quickly, as they prepare the manuscript for publishing. While I do not have a publication date yet, I expect the book to be available later this year. The cover design has been completed, though I have been asked to not publish an image of the cover, until the book appears in the publisher’s catalog.

I had prepared six appendices for the book, but cut three as part of the editing process, both before and after signing the contract. One of the appendices I cut, regarding Lt. Col. David Clendenin’s court-martial, appeared, in expanded form, here on my blog in December and January. The other two appendices that will not appear in the book will also be published here in the future, and in expanded form.

I will also be guiding tours of the battlefields in May and October of this year. Both will be bus tours, and as more detailed information, as to exact dates and price, becomes available, I will provide updates here as well.

I also want to make readers aware of a terrific Cavalry website, and a corresponding YouTube Channel, both maintained by friend Steve Dacus, of Casper, Wyoming. Steve invited me out to Casper in November 2020 to film several cavalry related discussions. During my visit, Steve, his wife, and his parents, treated me in royal fashion. He filmed the interviews in the loft of his parent’s beautiful home in the mountains high above Casper. I have, however, been neglectful in not drawing attention to Steve’s site and his work before now. My only excuse is that I did not have a chance to look at the interviews until after I sent the manuscript off to the publisher.

A link to Steve’s website, 11^th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry Library, can be found here. There you will find many hard-to-find cavalry manuals and other publications, including the book we discussed during the interviews. A link to Steve’s YouTube Channel can be found here. There you will find my interviews as well as many other videos regarding weapons, cavalry maneuvers or evolutions, and other topics.

Thanks to an invitation from Vince Heier, of the Little Big Horn Associates, I will be speaking to the St. Louis Civil War Roundtable on March 23. Should any readers live in the area, I look forward to seeing you there.

Lastly, I want to thank both George Sidman and Mark Eshelman. Mr. Sidman, grandson of George Dallas Sidman, contacted me in October and graciously provided me with some additional material regarding his grandfather. My interest in George Dallas Sidman, 16^th Michigan Infantry, results from his being wounded in the early morning fighting at Upperville on June 21, 1863. You may find the story I did on George and the 16^th Michigan here. I hope to be able to update the story later this year.

Mark Eshelman contacted me in December, regarding a post from May 2020 and a story on Michael Sanno, a soldier who fought in the War of 1812. You may find that story here. When the National Archives finally re-opens, I hope to be able to find the letters that will complete the story.

I have heard from many readers over the years who have found additional information regarding family members, old family homes or other topics of interest to them or their families.  Being able to help in any small way is especially gratifying to me, and I thank all of them for their notes of thanks and or the additional information they have provided.