Civilians
Published: 1/26/26
A Crab Warship
An 1864 letter to "The Scientific American" outlines a fantastical idea for a new kind of Civil War warship.
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.
Published: 4/21/25
The Burning of Harmon Farm
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: 3/24/25
A Tragic History
The author visits a cemetery for massacre victims in a lonely Carolina valley.
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: 10/2/24
With the Sanitary Commission at Belle Plain
A wartime photograph sheds light on the civilian volunteer organization called the U.S. Sanitary Commission.
Published: 9/9/24
A Woman’s Devotion
Explore the memoir of Sarah Brock, a witness to the Civil War in Richmond, who tells the tale of a brave woman's devotion in the face of adversity.
Published: 8/16/24
Death of a Patriotic Lady
Discover the touching and tragic story of a patriotic young woman during the Civil War.
9
Published: 8/2/24
The Fate of Charleston
The Rapid Rise and Precipitous Fall of the Birthplace of Secession
9
Published: 8/2/24
Haven & Horror
A look at the National Homestead at Gettysburg, an orphanage that opened to great fanfare but closed a decade later amid allegations of abuse and financial misdeeds.
Published: 8/2/24
Thaddeus Lowe’s Balloon Inflation Wagons
A photograph helps tell the story of Thaddeus Lowe's hydrogen gas reconnaissance balloons.
Published: 7/22/24
Reporting on the Defeated South
Travel accounts from the immediate aftermath of the Civil War illuminate social, economic, and political conditions in the former Confederacy. Among the best are John Richard Dennett’s The South As...
Published: 7/15/24
An Emotional Welcome Home
Experience the powerful emotions of a family's reunion with Confederate soldiers returning home after the surrender at Appomattox.
Published: 7/8/24
The New York City Draft Riots
Discover the history of the New York City draft riots in 1863. Explore the causes, events, and aftermath of this violent protest.
Published: 6/24/24
Second Thoughts of a “Self-Reliant” Woman
In the summer of 1865, New York City resident Mary Putnam had second thoughts about a recent decision to accept a proposal of marriage.
Published: 4/22/24
War Poems of “Howard Glyndon”
Read samples of Maryland native Laura Catherine Redden's Civil War poetry, which she published under the pseudonym Howard Glyndon.
19
Published: 3/18/24
Partners in War
Meet the wives of the American Civil War's top commanders. A special photo feature.
Published: 3/18/24
The Cabinet Diarists
Cecily Zander probes the personal writings of Lincoln administration cabinet members Edward Bates, Salmon P. Chase, and Gideon Welles.