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: 4/9/21
Word-Clouding Lee’s and Grant’s Farewell Addresses
View the words Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee used in the farewell addresses they delivered to their men as represented in a word cloud.
Published: 4/5/21
Extra Voices: Shirkers
Read firsthand Civil War soldier quotes on shirking in the Union and Confederate armies.
Published: 3/29/21
A Reconstruction Bookshelf
Library of Congress In this sketch by Alfred Waud, a federal official stands between armed groups of southern whites and African Americans during Reconstruction. It’s safe to say that while...
Published: 3/22/21
The Hands-On Historian
A look at the origins of National Archives staffer Bryan Cheeseboro's lifelong interest in the American Civil War.
Published: 2/26/21
Letters Home: Correspondence from Men at War
Frank Leslie’s illustrated Newspaper Union soldiers take a moment to write home on the hurricane deck of the U.S. transport North Star while on campaign in the Gulf of Mexico...
Published: 12/28/20
Goodbye to All That
In his final "American Iliad" column, southern-born historian Mark Grimsley reflects on his tangle of loyalties.
Published: 12/21/20
Extra Voices: Coffee
Read firsthand quotes by Union and Confederate soldiers about the the high value they placed on a good cup of coffee.
Published: 11/17/20
“The Good Lord Bird”: Episode 7
The seventh—and final—installment of historian Megan Kate Nelson's review of the Showtime miniseries "The Good Lord Bird."
Published: 11/11/20
“The Good Lord Bird”: Episode 6
The sixth installment of historian Megan Kate Nelson's review of the Showtime miniseries "The Good Lord Bird."
Published: 11/3/20
“The Good Lord Bird”: Episode 5
The fifth installment of historian Megan Kate Nelson's review of the Showtime miniseries "The Good Lord Bird."
Published: 10/27/20
“The Good Lord Bird”: Episode 4
The fourth installment of historian Megan Kate Nelson's review of the Showtime miniseries "The Good Lord Bird."
Published: 10/23/20
The Five Best Books on the Confederate Homefront
For decades, books about the Confederate homefront were often books about elite white slave-owning women—first Lost Cause-era flowery homages to their patriotism and dedication to the Confederacy, then more critical...
Published: 10/20/20
“The Good Lord Bird”: Episode 3
The third installment of historian Megan Kate Nelson's review of the Showtime miniseries "The Good Lord Bird."
Published: 10/13/20
“The Good Lord Bird”: Episode 2
The second installment of historian Megan Kate Nelson's review of the Showtime miniseries "The Good Lord Bird."
Published: 10/6/20
“The Good Lord Bird”: Episode 1
Historian Megan Kate Nelson's review of the first episode of the Showtime miniseries "The Good Lord Bird."
Published: 9/28/20
Quote for the Day: Autumn is Coming
A quote from Zenas T. Haines, 44th Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, on enjoying the fall scenes in October 1862.
Published: 9/21/20
The Five Best Books on the African-American Civil War Experience
Begin an exploration of the African-American Civil War experience with these five must-read books.
Published: 9/18/20
Interview: Historical Tours in the Time of COVID-19
An interview with Richard Blackmon, director of Historic America Tours, about the challenges of conducting historical tours in the time of Covid-19.