The Front Line
Our communal blog featuring the latest in Civil War news, research, analysis, and events from a network of historians
Published: 9/23/24
Extra Voices: Accidental Deaths
Read firsthand quotes by Union and Confederate soldiers about occurrences of accidental deaths in Civil War armies.
Published: 9/16/24
Decatur, Alabama: A Battlefield of the Imagination
By 9 a.m., Mother Nature has already dialed her setting to “Blast Furnace” outside the 1905 train depot in Decatur, launching pad for our visit to this northern Alabama town...
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: 9/2/24
The Civil War’s Miracle Drugs
Uncover the fascinating history of medicine during the Civil War. Explore the miraculous drugs and treatments that revolutionized healthcare.
Published: 8/26/24
Extra Voices: Killing the Enemy
Get a glimpse into the mindset of Union and Confederate soldiers when it came to killing. Read their unfiltered quotes and insights.
Published: 8/23/24
The Coffee Wagon
Delve into the intriguing tale of Jacob Dunton's coffee wagon, a welcome invention that delivered hot drinks to Union soldiers during the Civil War.
Published: 8/19/24
Rivers Running Red
An in-depth examination of the popular myth that rivers flowed red with the blood of killed and wounded soldiers during the Civil War.
Published: 8/16/24
Death of a Patriotic Lady
Discover the touching and tragic story of a patriotic young woman during the Civil War.
Published: 8/5/24
The Power of Place in Public History
A reflection on how our interaction with historic sites and spaces can deepen our understanding of the past.
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: 7/1/24
The Forgotten Men: Veterans of the Indian Wars
An examination of how veterans of the Indian Wars led the struggle to create a memorial at the site of the 1868 Battle of Beecher Island.
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: 6/17/24
The Civil War’s Epidemics
Why was the Civil War was the United States’ deadliest conflict? Historian Jonathan S. Jones offers his take.
Published: 6/10/24
Extra Voices: Civil War Homecomings
Read firsthand quotes by Union and Confederate soldiers and civilians about the homecomings that occurred at the end of the Civil War.
Published: 6/3/24
McClellan’s Culture of Command
Discover the strategic choices of George McClellan's command during the Civil War and how they shaped the outcome of significant battles.
Published: 5/20/24
Remembering a Pennsylvanian Who Fell at the Battle of Wauhatchie
Discover the story of Lieutenant Edward Ratchford Geary at the Civil War's Battle of Wauhatchie in southeast Tennessee.