Blog
Published: 2/3/25
Veterans Visit an Idealized West
A gathering of Union veterans in 1880s Colorado sheds light on the country's attitude toward the American West—both as a space for reconciliation and as a prize.
Published: 1/29/25
The Beechers (2024)
Anyone interested in religion, politics, culture, and society in the nineteenth century U.S. should read "The Beechers."
Published: 1/27/25
Handsome Dan
A profile of Union general George B. McClellan's war horse "Daniel Webster," also known as "Handsome Dan."
Published: 1/22/25
Nat Turner, Black Prophet (2024)
"Nat Turner, Black Prophet" is only the latest in a line of recent and excellent scholarship on the Southampton revolt.
Published: 1/20/25
Family Ties
How understanding our familial connections to the past help us form our collective aspirations for the future.
Published: 1/19/25
Civil War Snow Sledding
A contemporary review of Brown's Coasting Sled, a device patented in 1862, offers a look at the nature of snow sledding during the Civil War years.
Published: 1/15/25
The Mexican-American War Experiences of Twelve Civil War Generals (2024)
Readers of Timothy Johnson's volume will appreciate the chance to learn more about the early lives and careers of a dozen Civil War generals.
Published: 1/13/25
Extra Voices: Narrow Escapes
Read first-hand quotes by Union and Confederate soldiers about the close calls they and their comrades had in combat during the Civil War.
Published: 1/8/25
Holding the Political Center in Illinois (2024)
"Holding the Political Center in Illinois" is fascinating account of Prairie State politics in the 1850s.
Published: 1/6/25
A Firearm Transformed
Follow a Union soldier's journey with the M1816/22 rifled musket, a prominent firearm that served on the frontlines of the Civil War.
Published: 1/1/25
An Eventful New Year
Explore a letter from a Union officer that documents an Emancipation Day celebration in New Bern, North Carolina, on New Year's Day, 1865.
Published: 1/1/25
American Civil Wars (2024)
Alan Taylor's "American Civil Wars" offers a lucid, engaging, and spritely account of the period.
Published: 12/30/24
The Loss of the “Monitor”
Explore the tragic story of the USS Monitor's loss in a storm off Cape Hatteras through the first-hand account of seaman Francis B. Butts.
Published: 12/25/24
Freedom Was in Sight! (2024)
"Freedom Was in Sight!" represents a synthesis of popular art and solid historical scholarship.
Published: 12/23/24
A West Point Fantasy Draft
Evaluating antebellum West Point graduates based on their class performances as part of a mock Civil War commanders' NFL-style draft.
Published: 12/18/24
The Carceral City (2024)
John Bardes' "The Carceral City" is an important and careful history of slavery, freedom, and incarceration in the United States.
Published: 12/16/24
How a Man Feels in Battle
How did men experience combat during the Civil War? A Union veteran of the Battle of Bull Run offers his thoughts.
Published: 12/11/24
Between Extremes (2024)
Jack Furniss's welcome book shows how loyal state governments defined the purposes of the Civil War when calling upon their citizens to sacrifice for the Union cause.