The Front Line
Our communal blog featuring the latest in Civil War news, research, analysis, and events from a network of historians
Published: 1/27/25
Handsome Dan
A profile of Union general George B. McClellan's war horse "Daniel Webster," also known as "Handsome Dan."
Published: 1/20/25
Family Ties
How understanding our familial connections to the past help us form our collective aspirations for the future.
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: 1/13/25
Extra Voices: Narrow Escapes
Read first-hand quotes by Union and Confederate soldiers about the close calls they and their comrades had in combat during the Civil War.
Published: 1/6/25
A Firearm Transformed
Follow a Union soldier's journey with the M1816/22 rifled musket, a prominent firearm that served on the frontlines of the Civil War.
Published: 1/1/25
An Eventful New Year
Explore a letter from a Union officer that documents an Emancipation Day celebration in New Bern, North Carolina, on New Year's Day, 1865.
Published: 12/30/24
The Loss of the “Monitor”
Explore the tragic story of the USS Monitor's loss in a storm off Cape Hatteras through the first-hand account of seaman Francis B. Butts.
Published: 12/23/24
A West Point Fantasy Draft
Evaluating antebellum West Point graduates based on their class performances as part of a mock Civil War commanders' NFL-style draft.
Published: 12/16/24
How a Man Feels in Battle
How did men experience combat during the Civil War? A Union veteran of the Battle of Bull Run offers his thoughts.
Published: 12/9/24
At Fredericksburg
A poignant poem from Harper's Weekly tells the story of two Union comrades facing the horrors of the Battle of Fredericksburg.
Published: 12/2/24
Discovering Munfordville
Writer John Banks reflects on the Battle of Munfordville, Kentucky, during a visit to the site of the September 1862 fight.
Published: 11/18/24
A Helping Hand
The Civil War saw many advances in devices to aid amputees, including the practical tool known as a “knork.”
Published: 11/4/24
Lincoln and Yosemite
Discover President Abraham Lincoln's role in the creation of a national park at Yosemite in California.
Published: 10/28/24
Death of a Loyal Brother
Read the poignant letters of a Byron B. Wilson, a Union soldier in the 4th Vermont Infantry, to his sister during the Civil War.
Published: 10/21/24
To Dig or Not To Dig
Learn how the presence of certain rock types influenced tactics and battlefield dynamics during the American Civil War.
Published: 10/20/24
Eyewitness to Ball’s Bluff
Discover first-hand accounts of the Battle of Ball's Bluff through the letters of Richard C. Derby, a Union soldier in the 15th Massachusetts Infantry.
Published: 10/7/24
All About Us
Historian Gary W. Gallagher weighs in on the ongoing debate over the terminology used to discuss the American Civil War.
Published: 10/1/24
Lincoln Prize Lecture 2024
An exclusive Q&A with the featured speakers at The American Civil War Museum's 2024 Lincoln Prize Lecture, Frances M. Clarke and Rebecca Jo Plant.