The Front Line
Our communal blog featuring the latest in Civil War news, research, analysis, and events from a network of historians
Published: 10/8/18
Interview: Animatronic Lincoln at Lincoln Memorial Shrine
Explore the animatronic Lincoln at California's Lincoln Memorial Shrine. Discover the exhibit's story and its impressive features.
Published: 9/24/18
Varina
John O’Brien Collection Confederate first lady Varina Davis, the subject of a new novel by Charles Frazier, as she appeared shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War A young...
Published: 7/30/18
“Martyrs” to Their Cause: John Brown, Edmund Ruffin, and Harpers Ferry
Dive into the stories of John Brown and Edmund Ruffin and their impact on the fight against slavery.
Published: 7/2/18
The Best Gettysburg Books
What are the best books on the Battle of Gettysburg? We asked a handful of Civil War historians for their picks.
Published: 6/25/18
Whither Public History?
CLAUDIO VAZQUEZ Visitors to Gettysburg National Military Park pause during a tour of the battlefield. Every one of you reading this magazine is a member of the public history world:...
Published: 5/2/18
Battlefield Echoes: MOPs, MOEs, and Chancellorsville
Library of Congress Kurz & Allison’s depiction of the Battle of Chancellorsville In the aftermath of his army’s defeat at Gettysburg, General Robert E. Lee welcomed a brother of Secretary...
Published: 4/20/18
The Best Civil War Books of 2017
The Books & Authors section of our Winter 2017 issue contained our annual roundup of the year’s best Civil War titles. As usual, we enlisted the help of a handful...
Published: 4/6/18
Beyond the White Man’s Iliad
CATNAP72 / ISTOCK A statue of Robert E. Lee sits atop the Virginia Monument on the Gettysburg Battlefield. The Confederate monument controversy that has exploded in recent months raises fundamental...
Published: 3/17/18
St. Patrick’s Day in the Army
A look at St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the Union army through Lieutenant Josiah Marshall Favill's firsthand observations.
Published: 3/16/18
Extra Voices: Tobacco
Explore the historical use of tobacco during the Civil War through first-person accounts from Union and Confederate troops.
Published: 3/9/18
The Eisenhower Farm during the Battle of Gettysburg
Discover the history of Eisenhower Farm during Gettysburg, where President Eisenhower envisioned a tranquil life after military service.
Published: 2/23/18
The West’s Missing War
URSULA COYOTE/NETFLIX Jack O’Connell and Michelle Dockery in a scene from the Netflix miniseries Godless. As in previous depictions of the postwar West, the Civil War factors little into the...
Published: 2/2/18
A Story from the Trenches
Read Union surgeon John Gardner Perry's letter detailing a tragic incident involving a young lieutenant at Petersburg.
Published: 1/19/18
Close Calls at Beaver Dam Creek
Discover the historical significance of the Battle of Beaver Dam Creek through the personal letter of Private Oliver Willcox Norton.
Published: 1/12/18
Extra Voices: Dog Days of Summer
Read first-person quotes from Union and Confederate soldiers about the intense heat and discomfort that accompanied summer campaigning.
Published: 12/15/17
Civil War Cabbage Stew
Library of Congress Cooking in the Union camp at City Point, Virginia Looking for a hearty meal to help fend off winter’s cold? Try this Civil War-era recipe for cabbage...
Published: 12/1/17
The History Seeker
Jennifer Gleason Library of Virginia archivist Renee Savits In 2010, Renee Savits faced a dilemma. A career archivist, Savits had been with the Library of Virginia for 11 years, rising...
Published: 11/17/17
Extra Voices: Hunger Pangs
Battles and Leaders of the Civil War In the Voices section of the Winter 2017 issue of The Civil War Monitor we highlighted first-person quotes by Union and Confederate soldiers...