Louis Froelich
Arms-Maker to the Confederacy
by John W. McAden, Jr. & Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr.

96 pp., 9" x 11", hardcover with dust jacket.
ISBN: 978-0-9792431-4-1

Available Now!
Orders are fulfilled directly by author.
2-4 week delivery time.

$49.95
plus $5.95 shipping/handling.

Limited Edition leather bound edition
Signed and numbered by authors.
Limited to 100 copies.

$100.00
plus $8.95 shipping/handling.

Fort Fisher 1865
The Photographs of T.H. O'Sullivan
by Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr.

128 pp., 9" x 11"
paperback or leatherbound limited edition
ISBN: 978-0-9792431-8-9

$29.95 paperback
$5.95 shipping/handling 

Limited Edition leather bound edition
Signed and numbered by author.
Limited to 100 copies.

$100.00
plus $8.95 shipping/handling.

Available Now!

Fort Fisher was the largest and strongest seacoast fortification in the Confederacy, and the main guardian of Wilmington, North Carolina. Located near New Inlet, the northern-most entranceway into the Cape Fear River, Fort Fisher's earthen batteries stretched for about one mile and mounted forty-seven heavy seacoast cannon that protected blockade-running ships smuggling vital supplies into the Confederacy by way of Wilmington.

From 1863-1865, Wilmington was the South's principal seaport and considered the lifeline of the Confederacy. Fort Fisher withstood the most intense U.S. naval bombardment of the Civil War at Christmas 1864, before falling to the largest Union combined operation up to that time in mid-January 1865. Federal authorities were so impressed with the size and strength of Fort Fisher that they determined to make a photographic record of the imposing stronghold for posterity.

Alexander Gardner, who did considerable photographic work for the U.S. Army, dispatched one of his best employees, T.H. O'Sullivan, to photograph Fort Fisher. In early February 1865, O'Sullivan made a series of about forty views of Fort Fisher, making it one of the most photographed Confederate fortifications.

In Fort Fisher 1865: The Photographs of T.H. O'Sullivan, Dr. Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr. has reassembled the most complete photographic record of T.H. O'Sullivan's wartime images of the mighty fortress known to exist.

Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr. is a native of Wilmington, North Carolina, with a lifelong interest in American Civil War, North Carolina, Lower Cape Fear and Southern history. His in-depth research focuses on Civil War coastal operations and defenses, blockade running, and the navies. He has published numerous books about the Civil War.

After receiving his B.A. in Anthropology at UNC-Wilmington, Fonvielle served as the last curator of the Blockade Runners of the Confederacy Museum. He subsequently received his M.A. in American history at East Carolina University, under the direction of Dr. William N. Still, Jr., and his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina, where he studied with noted Civil War historian Dr. Thomas L. Connelly.

Dr. Fonvielle returned to his undergraduate alma mater at UNC-Wilmington in 1996, where he now teaches courses on the Civil War, Wilmington and the Lower Cape Fear, the Old South and Antebellum America. He also teaches extended education courses on the history of the Lower Cape Fear through the university.
(adapted from UNCW's Department of History website)

Questions or Comments?
email Chris directly.

Links from the Authors
Dr. Fonvielle's UNCW web page

Updates and News


April 26, 2011
Received the shipment on April 11. Fort Fisher 1865 is now being distributed to resellers and stores in the area. We are both very pleased with the book and the leather limited edition is just stunning. Book signing at the NC Room of the downtown public library on April 30th at 2pm.

December 30, 2010
Chris' newest title - Fort Fisher 1865, The Photographs of T.H. O'Sullivan is on track to go to press in January 2011. We have basically finished the layout and are ironing out the small details. Expect it to be available in March.

January 18, 2009
North South Trader's Civil War, "the magazine for collectors and historians". reviewed LF and gave it a positively glowing review. See Media Buzz below.

December 2, 2008
Got 'em. Both the cloth bound and leather bound editions were delivered today! Orders are being filled now. John and Chris have been signing the books furiously and will ship out all standing orders right away.

November 19, 2008
The ship arrived last night. The pirates did not get them! We expect them to be delivered locally around November 25. Right before Thanksgiving. We have our finger crossed that customs doesn't pull them out for an inspection.

October 24, 2008
We received samples of both the limited edition and standard editions today. They look wonderful. We expect to take delivery of the bulk shipment by November 20th, if all goes as planned.