The following is a guest blog post by Lorien Foote, author of Rites of Retaliation: Civilization, Soldiers, and Campaigns in the American Civil War. Blending military and cultural history, Lorien Foote’s rich and insightful book sheds light on how Americans fought over what it meant to be civilized and who should be extended the protections of a civilized world. Happy Book Birthday to Rites of Retaliation: Civilization, Soldiers, and Campaigns in the American Civil War, officially on sale today! Journalists covering the myriad military conflicts around the world use the word “retaliation” regularly in headlines and articles...