"The Civil War was the most dramatic, violent, and fateful experience in American history. . . . Little wonder that the Civil War had a profound impact that has echoed down the generations and remains undiminished today. That impact helps explain why at least 50,000 books and pamphlets . . . on the Civil War have been published since the 1860s. Most of these are in the Library of Congress, along with thousands of unpublished letters, diaries, and other documents that make this depository an unparalleled resource for studying the war. From these sources, the editors of "The Library of Congress Civil War Desk Reference "have compiled a volume that every library, every student of the Civil War--indeed everyone with an interest in the American past--will find indispensable." --From the Foreword by James M. McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Battle Cry of Freedom "

The study of Confederate troops, generals, and politicians during the Civil War often overshadows the history of noncombatants- slave and free, male and female, rich and poor- threatening obscurity for important voices of the period. Although civilians comprised the vast majority of those affected by the conflict, even the number of civilian casualties over the course of the Civil War remains unknown. Wallace Hettle's The Confederate Homefront provides a sample of the enormous documentary record on the domestic population of the Confederate states, offering a glimpse of what it was like to live through a brutal war fought almost entirely on southern soil. The Confederate Homefront collects excerpts from slave narratives, poems, diaries and journals, along with brief introductions that examine the circumstances and biases of each source. Bearing witness to the lives of marginalized groups, narratives by women navigating complex webs of loyalties and former slaves resisting and escaping the Confederacy feature prominently. Hettle also focuses on lesser-known aspects of the war, such as conscription, draft evasion, and the development of Union military policies that helped bring about the demise of slavery. Reflecting recent work by Civil War historians, Hettle includes numerous documents that focus on the role of Christianity in justifying the Confederacy's increasingly destructive moral and ideological position in the war. He also examines the guerrilla war on the southern homefront and the plight of black and white refugees, adding new insights into the destructive impact of warfare on the lives of civilians. The first documentary history to foreground the experiences of Confederate civilians, The Confederate Homefront illuminates the overlooked lives of noncombatants in the Civil War and bears witness to the traumatic final years of the institution of American slavery.

The Dakota Conflict, or Great Sioux Uprising as it was called, occurred 150 years ago in 1862 and became identified as part of the American Civil War. The Dakota Conflict caused the greatest loss of civilian life in an Indian war in U.S. history, and resulted in the largest mass execution in U.S. history. The author is a direct descendant of settlers living in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, who witnessed htis dark chapter in American history. We commemorate all victims of the Sioux Uprising, we forgive the crimes of our ancestors, and we support efforts at reconciliation between the white and Indian cultures. This hardcover book, Blood on the Prairie A Novel of the Sioux Uprising Sesquicentennial Edition, is a collector edition intended for personal and community libraries.

The Native Peoples of the United States could only take so much from the world. "Blood on the Prairie" is a novel set amongst this theater of the American Civil War, where the Sioux Nation rebelled against Minnesota and led to some of the bloodiest conflicts of the period. Author Steven Ulmen draws on his own personal history to tell the story of the conflict. "Blood on the Prairie" is a strong pick for fans of historical fiction, recommended. Burroughs Bookshelf, MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW, September 2012

This study introduces a new perspective on Lincoln and the Civil War through an examination of his declaration of our national values and the subsequent interpretation of those values by families during the war. This volume is a completely new approach to Civil War history. Historians rightly regard Abraham Lincoln as a moral exemplar, a president who gave new life to the national values that defined America. While some previous studies attest to Lincoln's identification with family virtues, this is the first to link Lincoln's personal biography with actual histories of families at war. It analyzes the relationship that existed between Lincoln and these families and assesses the moral struggles that validated the families' decision for or against the conflict. Written to be accessible to students and the general reader alike, the book examines Lincoln's presidency as measured against the stories of families, North and South, that struggled with his definition of Union virtues. It looks at Lincoln's compelling case for democratic values-among them, justice, patriotism, honor, and commitment-first stated in his 1861 speech before Independence Hall. The work also uses case studies to demonstrate how virtue, as practiced in families, illuminated, contested, adapted, and even transformed his concept, giving new meaning to the "virtues of war." Takes a new approach to the study of the Civil War as it connects Lincoln to families' assessment of their own and national virtues Provides a unique viewpoint on Lincoln's virtues derived from his important Independence Hall speech Shows how virtue helped to coalesce families into one unified nation Is enlivened by short biographical pieces in every chapter

The History of the American West Collection is a unique project that provides opportunities for researchers and new readers to easily access and explore works which have previously only been available on library shelves. The Collection brings to life pre-1923 titles focusing on a wide range of topics and experiences in US Western history. From the initial westward migration, to exploration and development of the American West to daily life in the West and intimate pictures of the people who inhabited it, this collection offers American West enthusiasts a new glimpse at some forgotten treasures of American culture. Encompassing genres such as poetry, fiction, nonfiction, tourist guides, biographies and drama, this collection provides a new window to the legend and realities of the American West.

A guide to the conflicts for the Union
This book has a curious pedigree. During the U.S. Grant administration, the Secretary of War instructed the Corps of Clerks to compile a thorough and complete catalogue of all the engagements of the late American Civil War-irrespective of their magnitude. The work was duly completed, published in small edition and a copy was presented by the Adjutant-General to the Secretary of War who, upon receiving it, promptly checked its pages for a minor incident in which he had been involved only to discover that it was notably absent It was from this rather embarrassing foundation that this book (oddly titled in its original edition 'When and Where We Met Each Other on Shore or Afloat' ) was conceived and, after much research, published. The task was a daunting one and the book occupied its author, Theodore D. Strickler, for over a decade as he examined official and other reliably authentic sources. Of course, all the well known battles are recorded here, but also included are the hundreds of minor affairs including scouting parties, skirmishes and raids. Strickler had the advantage of living witnesses to authenticate his findings and at the time of its original publication the book claimed to be the most complete compilation of its kind. The principal body of the text is in list form and the Leonaur edition has faithfully reproduced this in its original form for the sake of authenticity. All other text-which includes a piece on unit insignia-has been newly typeset. By virtue of its extreme thoroughness this book will be invaluable to all serious students of the American Civil War.
Every Leonaur title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

Focusing on a little-known yet critical aspect of the American Civil War, this must-read history illustrates how guerrilla warfare shaped the course of the war and, to a surprisingly large extent, determined its outcome. The Civil War is generally regarded as a contest of pitched battles waged by large armies on battlefields such as Gettysburg. However, as American Civil War Guerrillas: Changing the Rules of Warfare makes clear, that is far from the whole story. Both the Union and Confederate armies waged extensive guerrilla campaigns-against each other and against civilian noncombatants. Exposing an aspect of the War Between the States many readers will find unfamiliar, this book demonstrates how the unbridled and unexpectedly brutal nature of guerrilla fighting profoundly affected the tactics and strategies of the larger, conventional war. The reasons for the rise and popularity of guerrilla warfare, particularly in the South and lower Midwest, are examined, as is the way each side dealt with its consequences. Guerrilla warfare's impact on the outcome of the conflict is analyzed as well. Finally, the role of memory in shaping history is touched on in an epilogue that explores how veteran Civil War guerrillas recalled their role in the war. An epilogue that shares the recollections of Civil War guerrillas, showing how the memory of historical events may be shaped by the passage of time A dozen black and white illustrations provide glimpses into history

Written in a clear and engaging narrative style, this book analyzes the pivotal campaign in which Robert E. Lee drove the Union Army of the Potomac under George B. McClellan away from the Confederate capital of Richmond, VA, in the summer of 1862. The Seven Days' Battles: The War Begins Anew examines how Lee's Confederate forces squared off against McClellan's Union Army during this week-long struggle, revealing how both sides committed many errors that could have affected the outcome. Indeed, while Lee is often credited with having brilliant battle plans, the author shows how the Confederate commander mismanaged battles, employed too many complicated maneuvers, and overestimated what was possible with the resources he had available. For his part, McClellan of the Union Army failed to commit his troops at key moments, accepted erroneous intelligence, and hindered his campaign by refusing to respect the authority of his civilian superiors. This book presents a synthetic treatment that closely analyzes the military decisions that were made and why they were made, analyzes the successes and failures of the major commanders on both sides, and clearly explains the outcomes of the battles. The work contains sufficient depth of information to serve as a resource for undergraduate American history students while providing enjoyable reading for Civil War enthusiasts as well as general audiences.

With lively narration, telling anecdotes, and vivid battlefield accounts, Michigan and the Civil War tells the story as never before of Michigan's heroic contributions to saving the Union. Beginning with Michigan's antebellum period and anti-slavery heritage, the book proceeds through Michigan's rapid response to President Lincoln's call to arms, its participation in each of the War's greatest battles, portrayal of its most interesting personalities, and the concluding triumph as Custer corners Lee at Appomattox and the 4th Michigan Cavalry apprehends the fleeing Jeff Davis. Based on thorough and up-to-date research, the result is surprising in its breadth, sometimes awe-inspiring, and always a revelation given how contributions by the Great Lake State in the Civil War are too often overlooked, even by its own citizens.