US Civil War
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Why the Confederacy Lost in 1865
Although many factors contributed to Southern loss such as lack of industry and allies, the war was decided on the battlefields at places like Vicksburg and Gettysburg. more...
Comparing Slave and Serf Emancipations
Both emancipations of the 1860s ended long periods of bondage yet in each case significant differences undermined the altruistic motives usually equated with freedom. more...
New Orleans Captured by Admiral David Farragut
The capture and occupation of New Orleans closed the Mississippi River to trade and shut down the prosperous cotton exports to Europe while fueling Northern morale. more...
John Brown and the Harpers Ferry Raid
In the turbulent decade of the 1850s, John Brown's raid at Harpers Ferry was the culminating act that convinced Southerners civil war was a real possibility. more...
In the wake of Southern resistance to Federal Reconstruction laws, Congress crafted the 14th Amendment to guarantee all citizens equal protection of the laws. more...
The Fall of Richmond April 1865
The Confederate government had no evacuation plans in effect, leaving Richmond to mob rule and self-inflicted destruction as Union troops advanced. more...
The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution
Only a Constitutional Amendment would guarantee an end to slavery in every state for all time despite earlier legislative acts and presidential proclamations. more...
All feature articles in US Civil War
By: Walter Coffey
In the Civil War, the Battle of Antietam was a Confederate gamble that ended in a bloody stalemate. However its aftermath changed the course of American history. more...
By: Mike Virgintino
These men, who looked like gentlemen grandfathers during the late 1800s and early 1900s, planned and executed some of worst acts of violence during the Civil War. more...
See 1860s America at Pamplin Historical Park
By: Mike Virgintino
A 422-acre campus features four museums, four historic homes, living history demonstrations and an important battlefield. more...
By: Kristin Hanneman
In 1862 Confederate general Stonewall Jackson ordered cartographer Jedediah Hotchkiss to "Make me a map of the Valley." more...
Battle of Nashville Monument Survives
By: Lyda Phillips
The Battle of Nashville Monument in Nashville, Tenn., faced many struggles but finally was restored and moved to its current site on the actual battlefield. more...
Almost everyone is familiar with Taps. This bugle call has been played at military funerals for years but the real story behind this music is less well-known. more...
America's Civil War Today - November 2009
By: Mike Virgintino
Congressional action will help save additional battlefield sites as local groups move forward with plans to purchase land in Virginia and Tennessee. more...
All contributing articles in US Civil War