Sheritta Bitikofer
Civil War Historian
With her BA in American History from American Public University, Sheritta's focus of study is the many human-interest stories that embody the spirit of the nineteenth century.
Sheritta has been a contributing member of the Emerging Civil War Blog since 2021, and volunteered with battlefield preservation organizations such as the American Battlefield Trust. She also worked part-time with the University of West Florida Historic Trust out of Pensacola, serving in their archives and collections. She's published in Civil War Times and American Civil War Magazine. She's also collaborated on projects with Savas Beatie publishing and a given Civil War Roundtable presentation on the Slave Ship Clotilda. She's visited almost every major Civil War battlefield and broadcasted her travels on social media. Her blog, Belle on the Battlefield, documents her adventures, along with recommendations for restaurants and coffeeshops in the vicinity of these historic locations.
Browse through the many blog articles published by Sheritta on the Emerging Civil War Blog.
Find here, an article by Sheritta, written for the American Battlefield Trust about the Battle of Buffington Island.
Find over 200 posts about Sheritta's many travels across battlefields and historic sites on her personal history blog.
Magazine Articles
Check out the following magazine publications that include works by Sheritta
Publications
Check out the following publications that include works by Sheritta
The Civil War and Pop Culture: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War
The Civil War and Pop Culture: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War explores some of the ways people have imagined and reimagined the war at the tension between history and art, and how those visions have left lasting marks on American culture. These entries bring together the best scholarship from Emerging Civil War’s blog, symposia, and podcast—all revised and updated—coupled with original pieces designed to shed new light and insight on some of the most entertaining, nostalgic, and evocative connections we have to the war.
Civil War Monuments and Memory: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War
Civil War Monuments and Memory: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War explores some of the ways people monumented and memorialized the war—and how those markers have impacted our understanding of it. This collection of essays brings together the best scholarship from Emerging Civil War’s blog, symposia, and podcast—all of it revised and updated—coupled with original pieces, designed to shed new light and insight on the monuments and memorials that give us some of our most iconic and powerful connections to the battlefields and the men who fought there.
Fallen Leaders: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War
This collection of essays by a host of writers brings together the best scholarship from Emerging Civil War’s blog, symposia, and podcast, all of which have been revised, updated, and footnoted. The collection also contains several original pieces written exclusively for Emerging Civil War’s 10th Anniversary Series. Expect new angles on familiar stories about high-profile figures. Meet leaders whose stories you might not know but whose losses were felt as deeply personal tragedies by those around them. This collection sheds new light and insight on some of the most significant casualties of the conflict: the fallen leaders whose deaths, injuries, and disgraces changed the Civil War.
The Civil War on the Water: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War
The Civil War on the Water continues the celebration of Emerging Civil War’s 10th anniversary with a compilation of favorite navy tales and obscure narratives by the group’s distinguished public historians. This eclectic collection of more than three dozen essays offers fresh accounts on unfamiliar topics as well as second looks at familiar battles, ships, leaders, and events. There is something here for everyone, neophyte and veteran reader alike.
War in the Western Theater: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War
The Western Theater of War: Favorite Stories and Fresh Perspectives from the Historians at Emerging Civil War revisits some of the Civil War’s most legendary battlefields: Shiloh, Chickamauga, Franklin, the March to the Sea, and more.
Collaboration Projects
Check out the following publications where Sheritta assisted as an editor or transcriber
The Chancellorsville Papers
Edited by M. Chris Bryan
Associate Editors (Volume 3), Sheritta Bitikofer & Gordon Morgan
Several collections of letters and recollections all transcribed from longhand, annotated, and organized (again, think The Bachelder Papers and The Carman Papers, but for the Chancellorsville Campaign.) The third volume will be a helpful, happy surprise. (Ongoing, no pub date.) 1.4m words.
Vol. 1: Contemporaries records Or material not in OR, JCCW, Hooker Papers
Vol. 2: Campaign related papers Bigelow, Hamlin, Hotchkiss, Bates Papers Correspondence with veterans, high quality material.
Vol. 3: Writing on battle by vets CV SHSP, MOLLUS, Newspaper Accounts, NT. (200+ newspaper accounts)
(Coming Soon!)
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The Union Generals' Reports
The Union Generals' Reports, 5-6 vols., edited by M. Chris Bryan and Michael Harris. Some 320 reports (!) transcribed and annotated from longhand of wartime service (think of the Official Records, but these have never been published!), all written near the end of the war, or within a decade or so thereafter.
Almost no one knows about these gems, and they are rarely ever read or utilized.
(Coming Soon!)
