Blue Valley Libraries: American Civil War: Websites

Website Suggestions

The Civil War HomePage
The Civil War Home Page contains thousands of pages of Civil War material including Photos, Images, Battles, Documents, Southern Historical Papers, Troops Furnished, Death Stats, Associations, Letters & Diaries, Census of 1860, Maps, Official Records, Message Board, Dyer's Compendium, Fox's Regimental Losses, Regimental Histories, Genealogy, Biographical Information, Reenacting and Unit Information.

The following websites depict various aspects of the American Civil War.

Civil War 150 - History Channel
Interactive site commemorating the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War.
The American Civil War Homepage
The American Civil War Homepage gathers together in one place hypertext links to the most useful identified electronic files about the American Civil War (1861-1865). The page is maintained by Dr. George H. Hoemann who, with Mary Myers, is one of the original co-authors. Hoemann is currently assistant dean for distance education and independent study at the University of Tennessee.
The Civil War and Emancipation - from PBS
NY Times - The Civil War
Washington Post - The Civil War
Ongoing coverage of the150th anniversary of the Civil War.
National Public Radio (NPR) - The American Civil War
NPR: Stories heard on the radio, book reviews, blogs, multimedia and podcasts about the American Civil War.
USA Today - the Civil War
Topics on the American Civil War.
U.S. Army Military History - The Civil War - Research & Commemoration
This site commemorates U.S. Army operations in the Civil War and the soldiers who carried them out.
American Civil War Collection - at the Electronic Text Center - Univ of Virginia Library
The Electronic Text Center is home to a variety of primary source material on the American Civil War, including letters, diaries and newspapers.

Letter collections include searchable transcriptions as well as digital images of the manuscripts.
War Department Collection of Confederate Records - from the National Archives
American Historical Documents - from the National Archives
America's Historical Documents including:
Declaration of Independence; Articles of Confederation; The Constitution; Bill of Rights; Louisiana Purchase; List of Lewis's Purchases; District of Columbia Emancipation; Emancipation Proclamation; Abolition of Slavery
The Civil War - National Park Service
4,000,000 freed. 620,000 dead. 1 nation saved.
Interactive Civil War Battle and Casualties
Press the play button below to watch the war unfold over time.
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Drag the scrubber or click on the months and years to change the date range. Roll over the circles for more information on each battle. Casualties are defined as killed, wounded, missing and captured. (from the Washington Post)
Civil War Timeline -
Civil War Timeline - divided into 5 sections from the Washington Post
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Part 1: Road to the Civil War; Part 2: Fury Unleashed; Part 3: Northern Resurgence; Part 4: Rebellion Rebound; Part 5: A New Birth of Freedom; Civil War 150 continued.
National Park Service Civil War e-book series
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Eastern National is celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War with electronic editions of eParks' National Park Civil War Series of books. Read them online
Civil War Trust: Saving America's Battlefields
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hotos, videos and animated maps

African Americans in the Civil War

The 54th Massachusetts Regiment

The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment at Battery Wagner.

Mass Moments
On this day, May 28th, 1863, the Massachusetts, all black, all volunteer Regiment marched in full uniform on Boston Common to cheering crowds. Read more about this heroic group.
African American Soldiers in the Civil War
Sixteen black soldiers won the Congressional Medal of Honor for their brave service in the Civil War.
African American Soldiers in the Civil War - National Geographic
"Freedom to the slave should now be proclaimed from the Capitol, and should be seen above the smoke and fire of every battle field, waving from every loyal flag."
—Frederick Douglass, 1861
African American Odyssey - The Civil War
From the Library of Congress
United States Colored Troops
Captain William Penn's Headquarters
Binding Wounds - Pushing Boundaries -African Americans in Civil War Medicine
U.S. National Library of Medicine

Civil War Maps

Click the map to view more Civil War Maps that bring together materials from three premier collections: the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, the Virginia Historical Society, and the Library of Virginia.

Find a Battlefield

Abraham Lincoln

Trial after Lincoln's Assasination
Famous American Trials

Endorsed by the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, the Lincoln Archives Digital Project provides access to the historic but fragile paper records of the administration of President Abraham Lincoln. This is the first digital project to scan the entire contents of a president's administration. Click the photograph to view the collection.

Civil War Images

Click the poster to View 304 Civil War Posters from the New York Historical Society

Civil War@Smithsonian
Images from the National Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian Museum, D.C.
The Mask of Lincoln
This website is part of an exhibition from the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. The Smithsonian is taking part in the commemorations for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and the presidency of Abraham Lincoln.
The Camera Goes to War
Just 22 years after the birth of photography, enterprising photographers rushed to Civil War battlefields and produced America's first documentary images of war.
Political Cartoons of the 1860's
Take a look at some of the political cartoons depicting Abraham Lincoln.
Civil War Photos and Reference Documents
The U.S. Constitution; The Bill of Rights; The Gettysburg AddressTimeline of Events Leading to the Civil War; Sullivan Ballou's Letter to his Wife; Ordinances of Secession of the 13 Confederate States of America; Fugitive Slave Act;
Dred Scott Decision; Emancipation Proclamation; Declaration of Independence;
View of Union Troops Furnished and Deaths Reported; Civil War Battle Map; Battle of Antietam; Civil War Battle Map - Battle of Gettysburg; Civil War Battle Map - Battle of Fredericksburg; Civil War Battle Map - Battle of Shiloh;
Civil War Battle Map - Andersonville Prison