In writing A Mortal Blow to the Confederacy: The Fall of New Orleans: 1862, I was excited to be able to delve into the way each side handled or mishandled the defense or capture of New Orleans in this important chapter of Civil War history. But my research added another layer to this narrative. Here are five interesting things I discovered while writing my new book. 1. Fort Jackson and Fort St. Philip Forts Jackson and St. Philip are key elements in the story. I had taken guests there before, but going there to research and write about the campaign gave me a new perspective. Regarding the vast expanse of water, the currents and even the chop of small waves reminds one of how close to the Gulf of Mexico we are. Fort Jackson is seventy miles south of New Orleans, but in a different world. Commercial shrimpers, oystermen and fishermen make a living in this area and there is a healthy citrus industry. Touring the inside of the well-restored fort one can imagine the tumult and hellish fire and shelling that occurred here during the battle between the entrenched Confederates and the attacking Union fleet. The Fort Jackson Museum…

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I am excited to announce that my new book, A Mortal Blow to the Confederacy: The Fall of New Orleans, 1862, has just been released! It is the latest in the Emerging Civil War Series by publisher Savas Beatie. As noted in the forward by Gerald J. Prokopowicz, a professor of history at East Carolina University and host of the Civil War Talk Radio podcast, “With this book, Mark joins the ranks of Emerging Civil War Series authors at Savas Beatie, which is producing a series that excels at bringing forward new voices in Civil War scholarship. As a New Orleanian, and a professional trained history, Dr. Mark Bielski is ideally qualified to tell the story of what happened to the Crescent City in the first full year of the Civil War.” About A Mortal Blow to the Confederacy: The Fall of New Orleans, 1862 Early in the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln stressed the strategic importance of the Mississippi River. He knew that ultimately the Union would have to capture New Orleans to control that waterway. As the largest city in the South—and third largest in the U.S.—New Orleans was the key to the Mississippi and commercial gateway for…

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