Articles
Published: 11/13/25
Abraham Lincoln’s Ghost
A look at photographer William H. Mumler's purported "spirit image" of Abraham Lincoln alongside his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln.
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Published: 11/13/25
My War Story
Young Virginia soldier Alexander Hunter's remarkable firsthand account of the Confederate victory at Second Manassas
Published: 11/13/25
Marking the Dead
Among the scenes recorded by photographers in Richmond after the Confederate capital fell in 1865 was a poignant view of Oakwood Cemetery.
Published: 11/13/25
The Cavalry Saber
Facts and figures associated with Civil War cavalry sabers, in particular the Model 1860 Light Cavalry Saber, the type most commonly used by Union and Confederate soldiers.
Published: 11/13/25
Wartime Zelig
A look at a wartime photo of Union soldier George Warren Dresser, who had a remarkable Civil War military career.
Published: 11/13/25
“Contrabands”
Learn the origin of the term "contraband," a word popularly associated with the masses of enslaved people who sought freedom in Union lines.
Published: 11/13/25
Confusion on the Cumberland
A look at how ineptitude and poor decisions among Confederate leaders led to the downfall of Fort Donelson in 1862.
Published: 11/13/25
Milligan’s Army Camp Kettle
A look at John C. Milligan's patented army mess kettle by which Union soldiers could transport “the necessary utensils for camp use."
Published: 11/13/25
The Fights Go On
Updates on the American Battlefield Trust's recent legal victories to save hallowed ground at the Wilderness and Manassas battlefields.
Published: 11/13/25
Being Wounded
Read the firsthand quotes by Union and Confederate soldiers on the subject of being wounded in battle.
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Published: 6/7/23
The Lincoln Autopsy
A detailed look at the postmortem examination of the assassinated president
Published: 6/7/23
Two Little Words
How last-minute changes to the Emancipation Proclamation affected the transition from slavery to freedom.
Published: 6/7/23
Dogs of War
A look at how dogs played a variety of important roles—from supportive to savage—for the Union and Confederate armies.
Published: 6/7/23
The Five Best Books on the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley
Historian Jonathan Noyalas picks the five best books published on the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley.
Published: 6/7/23
Voices From the Army of Northern Virginia, Part 7: Robert E. Lee
Historian Gary Gallagher on the best books written about Army of Northern Virginia commander Robert E. Lee
Published: 6/7/23
The Bayonet
Affixed over the muzzle of a rifle, the bayonet was undeniably intimidating in appearance. Check out these Civil War bayonet statistics.
Published: 6/7/23
Wartime Photography
A look at Vermont photographer G.H. Houghton’s “Picture Gallery” at Camp Griffin in Langley, Virginia, during the Civil War.
Published: 6/7/23
Army Banners
Examples of Union army designating flags, which “told stories of their own” with their shapes, symbols, and field colors.