Civilians
7
Published: 9/1/22
The Perils of Nursing
A look at Louisa May Alcott's experiences as a nurse during the American Civil War.
Published: 3/21/22
Extra Voices: Mother Bickerdyke
Read the poignant quotes about Mother Bickerdyke that illustrate her role as a revolutionary nurse in the Civil War.
Published: 9/24/21
Mr. Gridley and His Sack of Flour
The story of R.C. Gridley, of Austin, Nevada, who made—and lost—an interesting wager on a local election in 1865.
Published: 4/16/21
War’s Early Days
Read South Carolina diarist Mary Boykin Chesnut's gripping account of the fall of Fort Sumter and its aftermath.
Published: 3/22/21
The Hands-On Historian
A look at the origins of National Archives staffer Bryan Cheeseboro's lifelong interest in the American Civil War.
Published: 3/7/21
United States Sanitary Commission at Gettysburg
Facts and figures about the U.S. Sanitary Commission's work at Gettysburg after the epic battle, one of its largest relief efforts of the war.
12
Published: 10/16/20
John Brown’s Raid
Discover the story of John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry and its role in the fight against slavery. Explore images that relay the historical significance of this pivotal moment.
Published: 3/7/20
On the Trail of John Wilkes Booth
Visit sites along the way the of the escape route John Wilkes Booth took from Ford’s Theatre after assassinating Abraham Lincoln.
Published: 3/6/20
The Fashion Trends of 1864
View examples of men's fashions in 1864 as published in an illustration from Harper's Weekly.
Published: 12/1/19
The Barbara Frietchie Caper
What happened when Confederate troops marched past the house of Barbara Frietchie in Frederick, Maryland, in 1862? It depends on who’s telling the story.
Published: 9/1/19
Teacher, Nurse, and “Strong, Gentle Girl”
Learn about Georgiana “Georgie” Willets, who taught freed slaves at the Camp Barker refugee camp in New York City.
Published: 8/25/19
Extra Voices: Clara Barton, The Angel of the Battlefield
Read first person quotes by and about famed Civil War nurse Clara Barton.
Published: 7/26/19
“My Little ‘Rebel’ Heart Was on Fire”
Read an excerpt from the autobiography of teenaged Confederate spy Belle Boyd regarding a traumatic event that led her into this role.
Published: 11/12/18
“A Lady of Excellent Worth”
Learn about Amanda Gardner's bravery in helping Union soldiers during their captivity at Castle Morgan prison in Cahaba, Alabama.
Published: 9/15/17
The Search for Orville Wheelock
The Boys in White Julia Wheelock One hundred fifty-five years ago this month, 28-year-old Michigan resident Julia Wheelock learned that her brother, Orville, a soldier in the 8th Michigan Infantry,...
Published: 6/1/15
Trial of a Confederate Terrorist
John Yates Beall’s friends stirred up a hornet’s nest of protest over the death sentence he had been given by a military commission sitting on Governor’s Island in New York...
Published: 10/9/13
The Wound Dresser
During the Civil War, renowned poet Walt Whitman served as a nurse. His battlefield medical career began at Fredericksburg, where he tended to wounded soldiers—including his brother. Deeply moved by...
Published: 6/3/13
Friends Across the Color Line
David Cornwell, formerly an infantryman in the 8th Illinois Infantry and a veteran of Shiloh, was serving with Battery D, 1st Illinois Artillery, in the summer of 1862. Stationed not...