About Christian McBurney

At the outbreak of the Civil War, thousands of men flocked to enlist in newly established companies and regiments in the Union Army then organizing in small towns throughout the …
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[This article is issued in conjunction with the launch of my new book, Machine Guns in Narragansett Bay: The Coast Guard’s War on Rumrunners (History Press, 2023)]

In September 1922, …
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I have a new book out! It is Machine Guns in Narragansett Bay: The Coast Guard’s War Against Rumrunners (History Press, 2023).

Here are three upcoming appearances I will …
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[Editor’s Note: In early 1923, newspaper readers became enthralled with Gray Ghost, a “pirate prowler” that preyed on the rum supply ships stationed on Rum Row south of Block Island. …
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The popularity of spies in the Revolutionary War, led by AMC’s TURN cable television series and the bestselling book George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spy Ring that Saved the American …
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[Note from the Editor: The following list is excerpted from “American Millionaires, The Tribune’s list of all Americans reputed to be worth a million or more,” published by The Tribune …
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In my prior article, “Newporters Catch Gold Fever, Sail to California in 1849,” the story of the Audley Clarke’s voyage to San Francisco was detailed. When Newport mariners heard about …
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Newport never fully recovered as a thriving maritime port following the American Revolutionary War. Its merchants did well in the trade with India and China in the times around 1800. …
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One of my favorite hobbies is reading popular and top quality American history books by authors who have deservedly built national reputations. By popular history, I mean the author is …
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There is a recent welcome addition to the library of Rhode Island history books. It is Meet Me at the Biltmore, 100 Years at Providence’s Most Storied Hotel, by …
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