Nature’s Tracers Through Time
The Front Line
A look at geology’s role in the endurance of “Witness” trees on Civil War battlefields.
A New Look at America’s Greatest Conflict
Current Issue
Road to Glory
Vol. 16, No. 3
Robert Gould Shaw commanded one of the war’s first black regiments. His personal views on emancipation were surprisingly complicated.
Recent Posts
Episode 9: The United States Sanitary Commission
Civil War Breakthroughs
Historian Judith Giesberg discusses the impact the United States Sanitary Commission had in its efforts to support healthy practices in the Union army.
Mercy in Disaster (2026)
Book Reviews
Angela G. Schear’s “Mercy in Disaster” captures the harsh realities of wartime hospitals and the limitations of Civil War medical care.
Dodging the Draft
Civilians
A look at the lengths to which some drafted men in Philadelphia went to avoid Union military service in 1863.
Episode 8: Wartime Nursing
Civil War Breakthroughs
Historian Jane Schultz discusses the motivations and experiences of the women who volunteered as nurses during the Civil War.
Featured Posts
Episode 20: Why Did the Civil War Happen?
Civil War Curious
Historian Allen C. Guelzo discusses the various causes behind the outbreak of the American Civil War.
The Patriots
Featured
Civil War historians weigh in on how the American Revolution influenced and inspired both the Union and the Confederacy.
Dressing Billy Yank
Facts and Figures
Shown here are figures associated with the procurement of some of the more common uniform pieces donned by “Billy Yank.”
The Case of the Two Graves
Featured
Unraveling the mystery surrounding the death and final resting place of former Confederate president Jefferson Davis.
The Five Best Books on Civil War Massacres
Best Of Lists
Civil War massacres frequently saw surrendering troops and noncombatants victimized. Here are five of the best books about some of the worst behavior of the Civil War.
“Babylon Is Fallen.”
Featured
How the northern press reported—with shock and awe—on Sherman’s March to the Sea in 1864.