8 Published: 8/19/25 The Military Education of Abraham Lincoln By: Kenneth W. NoeCategory: Commanders He was one of the country’s greatest wartime presidents. But Lincoln’s early days as commander-in-chief were anything but smooth.
Published: 8/19/25 Fraternizing With the Enemy By: The Civil War MonitorCategory: Firsthand Accounts Firsthand quotes by Union and Confederate soldiers about their non-combat interactions with the enemy.
Published: 8/11/25 Extra Voices: Rebs on Yanks By: The Civil War MonitorCategory: Firsthand Accounts Read quotes from Confederate soldiers and civilians that reflect their intense feelings about their Yankee opponents.
Published: 7/28/25 Battle at the Crater By: The Civil War MonitorCategory: Battles Explore the Battle at the Crater, a pivotal moment in the Siege of Petersburg, through the first-hand account of a Union staff officer.
Published: 6/30/25 A Texan at Gettysburg By: The Civil War MonitorCategory: Firsthand Accounts Discover the heartfelt letter of a Texas soldier, John Camden West, to his son after the Battle of Gettysburg.
12 Published: 6/16/25 Civil War Fashion, Part 2 By: The Civil War MonitorCategory: People In this, the second installment of our "Civil War Fashion" series, we highlight more images of soldiers and civilians wearing snazzy clothes and accessories, carrying interesting props, and striking bold poses.
Published: 6/2/25 Eyewitness to the Overland Campaign By: The Civil War MonitorCategory: Battles Experience the Overland Campaign of 1864 through the eyes of John R. Pillings, a corporal in the 86th New York Infantry.
Published: 5/28/25 Rebs on Yanks By: The Civil War MonitorCategory: Firsthand Accounts Read quotes by Confederate soldiers that reveal the diversity of their feelings toward their Union counterparts.
Published: 5/28/25 The Five Best Books on Jefferson Davis By: John M. and Ruth Ann CoskiCategory: Best Of Lists What are the best books about Confederate president Jefferson Davis? We asked two experts for their picks.
8 Published: 5/28/25 Rufus Dawes’ Civil War By: James MartenCategory: Features The Civil War story of Union officer Rufus Dawes of the 6th Wisconsin Infantry, one of the regiment of the famed Iron Brigade.
Published: 5/28/25 The Re-creation of Thomas J. Jackson By: Matthew Christopher HulbertCategory: Articles A look at the historical accuracy of director Ron Maxwell's 2013 movie "Gods and Generals"—in particular the portrayal of Stonewall Jackson.
Published: 5/26/25 The Waste of War By: The Civil War MonitorCategory: Firsthand Accounts Explore the physical and emotional toll of the Civil War through the powerful poem "April 30, 1864" by Charles G. Halpine.
Published: 5/19/25 Misquoting Honest Abe By: Christian McWhirterCategory: Commanders A look at how and why the most revered and respected figure in American history—Abraham Lincoln—is regularly misquoted today.
Published: 5/5/25 Smoothbore vs. Rifled Muskets By: Phil SpaugyCategory: Commentary A look at the military philosophy of Colonel George Willard, whose advocacy for the use of the smoothbore (not rifled) musket in battle flew in the face of contemporary thinking.
Published: 4/28/25 Extra Voices: Please Write! By: The Civil War MonitorCategory: Firsthand Accounts Read comments from Union and Confederate soldiers about their intense desire to receive news from family and friends back home.
Published: 4/21/25 The Burning of Harmon Farm By: Larry KorczykCategory: Civilians The story of Gettysburg teenager Amelia Harmon, who took shelter in the family home as the fighting swirled around it on July 1, 1863.
Published: 4/7/25 Killed at Shiloh By: The Civil War MonitorCategory: Battles Read a moving letter to the parents of a Union soldier killed at Shiloh that the "Dead-letter Office" tried to see delivered properly.
Published: 3/24/25 A Tragic History By: John BanksCategory: Civilians The author visits a cemetery for massacre victims in a lonely Carolina valley.
Published: 3/18/25 Please Write! By: The Civil War MonitorCategory: Firsthand Accounts First-person quotes from Union and Confederate soldiers about their deep desire to receive letters from home.
Published: 3/18/25 A Boy Soldier By: Ronald S. CoddingtonCategory: Images The story of 15-year-old Jimmy Bateman's relentless pursuit to join the Union army in 1861.