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Spring 2026
Vol. 16, No. 1
The cover story of our Spring 2026 issue explores Vermont soldier Harlan Paige’s remarkable wartime service. Plus, we look at the desperate attempt an outnumbered Confederate force made to defeat William T. Sherman’s army in North Carolina in 1865, and revisit the significance of Preston Brooks’ assault on Charles Sumner in the halls of Congress, an incident that foreshadowed civil war.
Features
Features
Battle Fury at Averasboro
In the Battle of Averasboro, an outnumbered Confederate force made a desperate effort to defeat Sherman’s army as it marched through North Carolina.
Features
The Man Behind The Cane
A look at Preston Brooks' caning of Charles Sumner, and how the assault—and the reaction to it—foreshadowed civil war.Salvo
Voices
Faith in the Fight
Firsthand quotes by Union and Confederate soldiers on the importance of religious faith in their lives.
Preservation
Big Plans at Gettysburg
An update on what the site around the demolished Gettysburg Battlefield Military Museum on Baltimore Pike will look like after restoration.
Figures
Dressing Billy Yank
Shown here are figures associated with the procurement of some of the more common uniform pieces donned by “Billy Yank.”
Faces of War
A Quaker Who Served
Read the story of Abraham Joseph Mabbett, a Quaker who served the U.S. Army without enlisting.
Cost of War
Herman Melville’s Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War
The story behind an inscribed copy of Herman Melville’s "Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War" that sold at auction in 2024.
In Focus
Gardner at the Front
Alexander Gardner makes a rare appearance in a a wartime photo of correspondents working for the New York Herald.Columns
Fighting Words
“Quaker Guns”
The origins of Civil War-era use of "Quaker guns," a pacifistic term for a clever act of military deception
Observatory
Confederates in the Cold War West
How mid-20th-century movies and TV emphasized reconciliation in portraying ex-Rebels.Books & Authors
Books & Authors
The Top Five Books on Civil War Art
A roundup of the best books that showcase the work of Civil War artists.
Books & Authors
Q&A with Gary W. Gallagher
A Q&A with historian Gary W. Gallagher reveals some of his favorite books, his reading habits, and what he's looking forward to reading next.Odds & Ends
Parting Shot
A Heavy Crown
A look at the weighted "gymnastic crown" lauded by forward-thinking New York physician Diocletian Lewis in 1862.
Editorial
A Vermonter Goes to War
Editorial reflections on the Spring 2026 issue of The Civil War Monitor.