Category Archives: Scratch Pad

Civil War Photography

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Allen Mesch

I just completed a class on Civil War Photography for the SAIL program at Collin College. The first class presented the following topics: In 1837 the first successful photographs was created by the daguerreotype process The technology of wet plate … Continue reading →

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19th Century Photographs

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Allen Mesch

I have been searching for an elusive picture of Ebenezer Allen for my biography on Republic of Texas and State of Texas attorney general. Alas, so far my search has come up empty. During my efforts, I discovered numerous sources … Continue reading →

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Classless Students Interrupt Best-Selling Author

Posted on February 27, 2017 by Allen Mesch

On February 23, 2017, best-selling author Jamie Ford was in Highland Park to speak at the town’s literary festival. Earlier that day, he spoke to an assembly of freshman and sophomore students at High Park High School. About halfway through … Continue reading →

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Evans Biography Awards

Posted on February 15, 2017 by Allen Mesch

On Valentine’s Day, I received a request to submit Your Affectionate Father, Charles F. Smith to the Mountain West Center for consideration for the Evans Biography Awards. We are extremely pleased to be asked to apply for these awards. The Evans … Continue reading →

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A Question from David

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Allen Mesch

Last week, my grandson David asked me why I didn’t get more questions even though I travel “everywhere.” That’s a good question. People ask questions to learn new things and obtain answers. Some folks want to have their beliefs validated … Continue reading →

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The Devil is in the Details

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Allen Mesch

A reader commented on the detail in Teacher of Civil War Generals and observed that some parts of the book contained daily narratives. The detail in this book or any other is driven by the time frame of the story. … Continue reading →

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Return to Ebenezer Allen

Posted on December 28, 2016 by Allen Mesch

After a couple of months concentrating on the book on Charles Marvin, I have returned my focus to Ebenezer Allen.  The book continues to evolve as new tidbits of information are discovered. The process takes many different directions with many … Continue reading →

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NYMAS Review of Teacher of Civil War Generals

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Allen Mesch

Thank you to the New York Military Affairs Symposium for the very nice review of Teacher of Civil War Generals. The review stated, “Mesch does an excellent job of telling Smith’s story, while helping the reader get a better grasp … Continue reading →

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Charles A. Marvin – “One Year, Six Months, and Eleven Days”

Posted on November 27, 2016 by Allen Mesch

Charles A. Marvin – “One Year, Six Months, and Eleven Days” will soon be available on Amazon.com. The book is 226 pages long with over sixty illustrations. Charles A. Marvin was a good man. He spent his life working on … Continue reading →

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Frankford: Grand Army Of The Republic Museum & Library Offers Frankford Residents Historical Context

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Allen Mesch

Please check out this story on the Grand Army of the Republic Museum & Library in Philadelphia. It was wonderful to speak in this historic location and to comment on its importance in preserving Pennsylvania’s role in the American Civil War.

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