The Archive
All Articles
Every article indexed from the pages of Civil War News — 2551 of them across113 issues, 2016 to 2026. Each one opens the full text on civilwarnews.com.
The Federal Eagle on U.S. Lock Plates
The Federal Eagle on U.S. Lock Plates A question that is sometimes asked about the Civil War rifles and muskets made at the National Armories is why the Federal E…
Skirmish in the Streets Of Smithfield
SMITHFIELD, Va.—In August a new Civil War Trails sign was installed along Main Street in front of the Isle of Wight County Museum in downtown Smithfield. It was t…
Orlando Poe: Civil War engineer, Generals' aide, to Lighthouse builder
by Joan Wenner, J.D. As was said by a gunboat captain to Union Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles, “Battles are won by two qualities, the ability to endure and a…
James I. Robertson's “The War in Words”
by Stephen Davis James Irvin “Bud” Robertson (1930-–2019) was known across the land to Civil War enthusiasts in the same league as Ed Bearss and maybe a few other…
How the Charleston Mercury Gave Stonewall His Nickname
by Stephen Davis Newspapers, as the saying goes, write the first draft of history. Such was the case of the Charleston Mercury’s reporting on the battle of Manass…
Happy Birthday Mathew Brady – 200 Years
Happy Birthday Mathew Brady – 200 Years by Cliff Krainik On a bright, beautifully clear Indian summer afternoon about a hundred invited guests attended the unveil…
Events Section — November 2022
Before making plans to attend any event contact the event host. Nov. 5, Virginia. Seminar & Tour
Emerging Civil War — November 2022
From the Editor “The past is never dead,” William Faulkner wrote. “It’s not even past.” That’s true of the Civil War in particular. It’s one of the truest things…
De Bow's Review
De Bow’s Review When James Dunwoody Brownson De Bow started publishing The Commercial Review of the South and West in New Orleans in 1846, he intended it as a jou…
Civil War News Book Reviewer's Top Picks for Western Theater Books
Stephen Davis’ Top Ten Favorite Western Theater Books
Bureaucratic Infighting
“I must have a safe conduct from the War Department or Grant will shoot me.” – J.C. Van Duzer In late fall 1862, in the first of several efforts to take Vicksburg…
Book Reviews — November 2022
An Essential Collection of Union Veterans’ Writings Civil War News book reviews provide our readers with timely analysis of the latest and most significant Civil…
Augustus Tholey, Civil War lithographer
Augustus Tholey, Civil War lithographer The Graphic War highlights prints and printmakers from the Civil War discussing their meaning and the print maker or artis…
American Battlefield Trust — November 2022
XII Corps, as well as North Carolina and Arkansas troops. Since 1991, the Trust has secured 11 properties on the Antietam Battlefield, a total of 463 acres of hal…
44th Annual Southeastern Civil War and Antique Gun Show
44th Annual Southeastern Civil War and Antique Gun Show MARIETTA, GA—The North Georgia Relic Hunters Association was able to hold its 44th Annual Southeastern Civ…
“We Can Defeat Them at Any Point”
“Headquarters, Department of the Shenandoah New Market, VA May 2, 1862 By Bruce Allardice and Wayne Wolf In early May 1862, General Nathaniel P. Banks exuded opti…
“Carleton”
Editor’s note: With this piece we begin a new series in Civil War News, “Clippings from the Past”: excerpts from Civil War newspapers, articles about them and pro…
York Underground RR Museum Dedicates New Casteel Statue
York Underground RR Museum Dedicates New Casteel Statue by Leon Reed Sculptor Gary Casteel, best known for Gettysburg’s James Longstreet statue, watched with prid…
The Sad Fate of Captured Union Sailors
The Sad Fate of Captured Union Sailors by Joseph Wilson Few Union sailors serving aboard ship gave much thought to being captured. Boys enlisted in the U.S. Navy…
The Library of Congress Collection — October 2022
The Union infantry sergeant (far left) is looking over five men in his company. All are wearing 4 button sack coats and Model 1858 dress hats (also known as Harde…
The Battle of the Wilderness – Grant & Lee: Emotions of the Mantle of Command
The Battle of the Wilderness – Grant & Lee: Emotions of the Mantle of Command by Peter R. Kolakowski In the lead up to the Battle of the Wilderness that occurred…
Savas Beatie Authors/Readers Gather at Gettysburg
by Leon Reed Special to Civil War News For the second straight year, Savas Beatie authors and readers met in Gettysburg for three days of battlefield tours, bookt…
One Grand and Imposing Monument
One Grand and Imposing Monument In 1890, just over a quarter century after two great battles were fought in northwest Georgia and adjacent areas of Tennessee, the…
National Archives Civil War Cartographic Ship Plans
Work continues at the National Archives to digitize additional records from the American Civil War. A peek inside the Cartographic Research Room – https://www.arc…