Articles
5
Published: 5/1/18
The Perils of Peace
For the white and black residents of Staunton, Virginia, life in the first year after the end of the Civil War was transformative—and unsettled.
10
Published: 5/1/18
Relics of War
A look at some of the souvenirs Civil War soldiers and sailors collected for themselves on and off the battlefield.
Published: 5/1/18
Grant’s Cruel Summer
In June and July 1864, Ulysses S. Grant tried to defeat Robert E. Lee and capture Petersburg, Virginia. It didn’t go so well.
10
Published: 5/1/18
The Best Civil War Battlefield Parks
What are the best Civil War battlefield parks in the U.S.? Historian and author Garry Adelman offers his picks
Published: 5/1/18
Spring 2018 | Dispatches
Reader feedback and questions published in the Spring 2018 issue of The Civil War Monitor.
Published: 5/1/18
An Inauspicious Start
On August 1, 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant sat down at his headquarters at City Point, Virginia, to pen a note to the army’s chief of staff, Major General...
Published: 5/1/18
The Chancellors of Chancellorsville
An 1866 photo shows Rev. Melzi S. Chancellor and six members of his family outside Dowdall’s Tavern at Chancellorsville.
Published: 5/1/18
Pickett’s Charge
Facts and figures about the Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg, which many still regard as the war’s turning point.
Published: 5/1/18
Anatomy of a Civil War Buff
Fancy yourself a Civil War buff? We surveyed our readers to learn what got them interested in the history of the conflict.
Published: 5/1/18
A Rains Barrel Torpedo
Learn about the Rains Barrel Torpedo, an example of which sold at auction in October 2005.
Published: 5/1/18
A Preserved Harpers Ferry Tract Has Much to Tell
The American Battlefield Trusts' quest to preserve the Old Standard tract next to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Published: 5/1/18
Tobacco
Firsthand quotes highlighting the centrality of tobacco to the lives of Civil War soldiers and civilians.
9
Published: 7/1/18
Soldiers of Misfortune
William Marvel examines how financial motives drove Union recruiting during the Civil War as much as more altruistic incentives.
8
Published: 7/1/18
An Unlikely Battleground
Fourth of July observations during the Civil War reflected the country’s thorniest questions—including which Americans could claim the holiday as their own.
Published: 7/1/18
The Decision
Why did Robert E. Lee turn down command of the Union army and join the Confederacy in 1861? It’s complicated.
Published: 7/1/18
A Visit to Yorktown, Virginia
Interested in visiting Yorktown? To help make the most of your trip, we’ve enlisted two experts on the area— Homer Lanier and J. Michael Moore— to offer suggestions for what to see and do in and around the historic town.
Published: 7/1/18
The Books That Built Me: Stephen W. Sears
Author Stephen W. Sears reviews the Civil War books that most influenced him, from his first job out of college to today.
Published: 7/1/18
Summer 2018 | Dispatches
GRANT’S CRUEL SUMMER A. Wilson Greene’s article in the Spring 2018 issue on Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant’s early actions at Petersburg [“Grant’s Cruel Summer,” Vol. 8, No. 1]...