American history requires a second look

Wessagussett Press

Wessagussett Press publishes American history that challenges familiar stories and reexamines the people, battles, and turning points too often overlooked. From the Revolution and Civil War to America’s rise as a world power, two world wars, and the Kennedy presidency, these books ask readers to reconsider what they thought they knew about the American past.

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About the Press

Written in Mississippi on December 2, 1881, this letter by Confederate officer James Taliaferro recounts his experiences defending Battery (Fort) Wagner near Charleston during the Civil War. This rarely cited letter recounts how United States troops took over a large section of of the fort— a significant departure of how the story of the battle is usually told. The letter was recovered by the author from the Swem Special Collections at William & Mary College.
**It was transcribed for the author by a specialist in reading old, faded handwriting.**

About the Press

History Based on Primary Sources

Errors in history become compounded when authors rely excessively on secondary sources. Wessagussett Press, an independent publisher of American history, digs for original sources, sometimes upsetting conventional narratives.

Founded in 2019, Wessagussett Press is a registered business in Weymouth, Massachusetts. The name Wessagussett derives from the Algonquin name for the site of the first chapter of Forgotten Battles and American Memory.

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