W. Chris Phelps was born in De
Ridder, Louisiana, in 1970 and raised in Richmond, Virginia. He moved to
Charleston in 1992 and loves it enough to say, “Most likely I will be buried
here as well.” Because of his intense interest in the history of Charleston and
the South in general, Mr. Phelps has become a member of several historical
societies, including the South Carolina Historical Society, the Charleston
Library Society, the Charleston Museum, and the Charleston Tourism
Association. Aside from historical research and writing, Mr. Phelps enjoys
watersports such as surfing and wakeboarding and is also an avid mountain biker.
Mr. Phelps' book The
Bombardment of Charleston: 1863-1865 is the first book of
its kind to be published. It provides a detailed account of the unprecedented
Union bombardment of Charleston from its beginning in August 1863 until it
ceased in February 1865. Author Richard Cot calls the book a “heavily
researched and insightful volume [which] shines a light into a dark corner of
Civil War history.”
Mr. Phelps' second book,
Charlestonians in War: The Charleston Battalion, explores the
events surrounding the formation and campaigns of this important,
seldom-heard-of group of men. W. Eric Emerson, of the South Carolina
Historical Society, says Mr. Phelps has “deftly balanced operational details
with social background and created a unit history that would be of interest to
scholars and general readers.”
W. Chris Phelps currently lives in
Johns Island, South Carolina, with his wife and their two children. |