Articles
9
Published: 2/19/26
The Man Behind The Cane
A look at Preston Brooks' caning of Charles Sumner, and how the assault—and the reaction to it—foreshadowed civil war.
8
Published: 2/19/26
The Survivor: Harlan Page’s Civil War
Read about the exceptional luck of Vermont soldier Harlan Paige on the long and bloody road to Appomattox.
Published: 2/19/26
Battle Fury at Averasboro
In the Battle of Averasboro, an outnumbered Confederate force made a desperate effort to defeat Sherman’s army as it marched through North Carolina.
Published: 2/19/26
“Quaker Guns”
The origins of Civil War-era use of "Quaker guns," a pacifistic term for a clever act of military deception
Published: 2/19/26
Confederates in the Cold War West
How mid-20th-century movies and TV emphasized reconciliation in portraying ex-Rebels.
Published: 2/19/26
Dressing Billy Yank
Shown here are figures associated with the procurement of some of the more common uniform pieces donned by “Billy Yank.”
Published: 2/19/26
Herman Melville’s Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War
The story behind an inscribed copy of Herman Melville’s "Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War" that sold at auction in 2024.
Published: 2/19/26
A Vermonter Goes to War
Editorial reflections on the Spring 2026 issue of The Civil War Monitor.
Published: 2/19/26
Spring 2026 | Dispatches
Reader questions and comments published in the Spring 2026 issue of The Civil War Monitor.
7
Published: 11/13/25
My War Story
Young Virginia soldier Alexander Hunter's remarkable firsthand account of the Confederate victory at Second Manassas
21
Published: 11/13/25
The Headliners
Who were the Civil War’s biggest celebrities? We asked a group of historians and ranked their top 20 picks in order of popularity.
8
Published: 11/13/25
Ericsson’s Other Folly
John Ericsson is best remembered for the ironclad USS Monitor, initially dubbed Ericsson's Folly. He proved detractors wrong then, but not all of his designs succeeded.
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
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
“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
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
The Face of Battle
Editorial thoughts on the cover story of the Winter 2025 issue of The Civil War Monitor.
Published: 8/25/25
An Aromatic Belt
Aromatic belts were among the many suspect items peddled to Civil War soldiers in search of extra protections against disease.