The Saber and Scroll Journal Volume 6, Issue 1, Winter 2017 | Page 5

Letter from the Editor
Michael Majerczyk
Hi everyone. The cold winter months keep many people indoors and
inactive but there is little evidence of the wintertime blues at the Saber and Scroll
Journal because the winter months consistently produce interesting and well-
researched articles and book reviews. This issue contains works that center on
tragedy and heroism. In The Hundred Years’ War: A different Contextual
Overview, Dr. Robert Smith discusses the impact that conflict made on the West
and the role that Joan of Arc for played for France in the context of this lengthy
conflict. In The Maiden of France: A Brief Overview of Joan of Arc and the Siege
of Orléans, Cam Rea discusses the life of Joan of Arc. It is clear that she was
legendary in her time. Joan’s story continues to influence us moderns through art,
literature, popular culture, and imagination. Anne Midgely discusses this element
of her story in her article, Joan of Arc through the Ages: In Art and Imagination.
The Civil War is always a popular topic amongst Saber and Scroll
members and this issue includes two articles related to it. Lew Taylor discusses
the Battle of New Market and provides a biography of each of the fallen cadets in
“Died on the Field of Honor, Sir.” Virginia Military Institute in the American
Civil War and the Cadets Who Died at the Battle of New Market: May 15, 1864.
Greg Drummond’s article, Across the Etowah and into the Hell-Hole: Johnston’s
Lost chance for Victory in the Atlanta Campaign analyzes the challenges General
Joseph Johnston faced.
Member’s interest in naval warfare during World War Two continues.
Jeff Ballard’s Cape Esperance: The Misunderstood Victory of Admiral Norman
Scott provides a fine narrative of the Battle of Cape Esperance and an in-depth
analysis of the tactics employed. Indeed, the emphasis on naval warfare over the
last two issues prompted my review of the Air Zoo Aviation Museum.
Book reviews often provide researchers with the current trends in the
historiography of a particular topic. If you are interested in the American West,
Stan Prager provides a book review of Paul Andrew Hutton’s The Apache Wars:
the Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the
Longest War in American History.
5