The Front Line
Our communal blog featuring the latest in Civil War news, research, analysis, and events from a network of historians
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.
Published: 5/13/24
A Hospital Steward’s Story
Read Union soldier James Kendall Hosmer's account of the "soul-touching" time he spent as a hospital steward aboard the steamship "Iberville" in 1863.
Published: 4/29/24
What Is Public History?
Explore the distinction between public history and academic history and the impact of public historians in interpreting our collective heritage.
Published: 4/25/24
“The Impending Crisis”
Learn about the American Civil War Museum's new exhibition, "The Impending Crisis: How Slavery Caused the Civil War," in an interview with Rob Havers.
Published: 4/22/24
War Poems of “Howard Glyndon”
Read samples of Maryland native Laura Catherine Redden's Civil War poetry, which she published under the pseudonym Howard Glyndon.
Published: 4/15/24
The Myth of the Civil War Sniper
How deadly were Civil War snipers? A scientist-historian argues they weren't nearly as deadly as popular histories have made them out to be.
Published: 4/8/24
Extra Voices: Losing Comrades
Read firsthand quotes by Union and Confederate soldiers about the loss of a comrade during the Civil War.
Published: 4/1/24
Lincoln’s Imagined West
An exploration of Abraham Lincoln's thoughts on westward expansion—and their legacy.
Published: 2/16/24
Jefferson Davis’ Inaugural Address
Read the address Jefferson Davis delivered on February 18, 1861, when he was inaugurated as president of the Confederate States of America.
Published: 1/8/24
Extra Voices: Doldrums of War
Read quotes by Union and Confederate soldiers about the long stretches of inactivity and boredom they regularly faced.
Published: 12/11/23
The Best Civil War Books of 2023
The Books & Authors section of our Winter 2023 issue contains our annual roundup of the year’s best Civil War titles. As usual, we’ve enlisted a handful of Civil War...