Rec'd: The Usual War Salutations

Harper's Weekly cartoon captioned with a quotation from a "Rebel
Paper" ("Our Artillery are improving rapidly in their firing; they
practice constantly at targets.")

It's time for the weekly local history articles round-up. I've been out of town this week, so I haven't had time to do as much reading as usual, so apologies for missing other good items.

First up, today is the 150th anniversary of a skirmish at Pohick Church in Fairfax County. Both armies had largely recovered from Manassas, but had not yet grown into their new missions and were feeling each other out. Cavalry from the brigade of William Franklin chased off an unidentified Confederate cavalry company and learned important lessons in the process. All Not So Quiet Along the Potomac sums up the action well. The official reports can be found here.

To the Sound of the Guns has an interesting piece on the gunner's quadrant, equipment I had never heard of that was invaluable to artillery.

And Adam Goodheart continues to save Disunion with an account of James Garfield's decision to join the army.