The San Diego Civil War Round Table (SDCWRT) recently hosted its inaugural student essay contest in partnership with Dr. Edward Blum and the San Diego State University History Department. Six talented up-and-coming historians submitted research papers, which were evaluated by our chapter President, Gordon Gidlund, and distinguished historians Wade Sokolosky and Brian Steele Wills.

We extend a sincere thank you to our judges and to all the students who dedicated their time to these informative and thought-provoking projects.

Congratulations to our Winners:
First Place: Mike Raska – 
Mary Todd Lincoln: The Tragedy of the Civil War First Lady: An Evaluation of Mary Todd Lincoln’s Case of Mental Illness Placed in the Context of Civil War Era Medicine

This paper serves as a poignant reminder of the pitfalls of judging historical figures without considering the limitations of period medicine. Raska argues that many of Mary’s struggles, which were misunderstood by the mindset of her time, would likely be treatable today.

Second Place: Dehrich S. Moore – Divided Orchestra. This work examines the profound influence of music on both Civil War participants and the general public.

Third Place: Gabriel Eskew – The Third Army: Contagion during the Civil War. Eskew provides a compelling discussion on how disease—the “third army”—impacted both sides of the conflict.

Additional Submissions Included:
– Shane Chase: Counting California Towards the Civil War
– Jack Krebs: The Battle Hymn of the Republic & Union Soldiers
– Daniel Perry: Native American Contributions to the Civil War: A Litany of Broken Promises On Both Sides

Thank you again to all participants for your impressive scholarly efforts! SDCWRT looks forward to continuing this partnership and contest next year.