The Front Line
Our communal blog featuring the latest in Civil War news, research, analysis, and events from a network of historians and authors
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: 10/30/23
The Books That Built Me: John Hennessy
Civil War historian John Hennessy reflects on the books that helped inspire and shape his interest in the conflict.
Published: 10/6/23
Lincoln Prize Lecture 2023
On October 26, 2023, The American Civil War Museum (ACWM), in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History, will host its first annual Lincoln Prize Lecture, where guests will...
Published: 9/25/23
Voices From the Army of Northern Virginia, Part 8
The final installment of Gary W. Gallagher's series on books published about the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.