The Front Line
Our communal blog featuring the latest in Civil War news, research, analysis, and events from a network of historians
Published: 9/22/25
A Civil War Tank
Learn about Indiana inventor Albert E. Redstone's proposed "Land Monitor," a Civil War tank that never was.
Published: 9/15/25
A Fistful of Lincoln
A look at how and why we value and interpret physical objects and documents associated with President Abraham Lincoln.
Published: 9/1/25
Fatal Terrain
How terrain helped influence the nature of combat—and of the many resulting casualties—on Civil War battlefields.
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.
Published: 8/18/25
Setting the Record Straight
A look at the trailblazing efforts of Civil War nurse Adaline Blanchard Tyler.
Published: 8/11/25
Extra Voices: Rebs on Yanks
Read quotes from Confederate soldiers and civilians that reflect their intense feelings about their Yankee opponents.
Published: 8/4/25
A Confederate General in California
The story behind former Confederate general Tyree H. Bell’s unexpected final resting place.
Published: 7/28/25
Battle at the Crater
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: 7/21/25
A Brilliant “Boy Major”
The Gettysburg story of young Confederate artillery officer Joseph White Latimer, known as the "Boy Major."
Published: 7/7/25
Tall Tales Tested off the Battlefield
A science-based examination of claims that dead bodies carpeted the ground and bullets flew thick as hail on Civil War battlefields.
Published: 6/30/25
A Texan at Gettysburg
Discover the heartfelt letter of a Texas soldier, John Camden West, to his son after the Battle of Gettysburg.
Published: 6/23/25
“Conceived in Liberty”
Historian Christian McWhirter on how Abraham Lincoln's thinking on the Declaration of Independence fundamentally shaped how he defined freedom.
Published: 6/9/25
A Visit to Armstrong’s Hill
An exploration of the site of the Battle of Armstrong Hill, a little-known engagement fought outside Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1863.
Published: 6/2/25
Eyewitness to the Overland Campaign
Experience the Overland Campaign of 1864 through the eyes of John R. Pillings, a corporal in the 86th New York Infantry.
Published: 5/26/25
The Waste of War
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
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
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!
Read comments from Union and Confederate soldiers about their intense desire to receive news from family and friends back home.