William J. Bolton's Civil War journal is especially valuable since he served throughout most of the Civil War, steadily rising through the ranks from captain to colonel with the 51st Pennsylvania. Bolton's commander throughout most of the war was John F. Hartranft, an influential figure who later became governor of Pennsylvania. William J. Bolton was lucky to have his brother John serving in the same unit, so he could draw on his recollections for the two periods when he himself was out of action due to wounds.The 51st Pennsylvania was largely drawn from Norristown, Pennsylvania, a prosperous county seat. The 51st served throughout the war in the IX Corps under Ambrose Burnside, and thus was involved in a wide variety of actions in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee and Mississippi.Bolton was wounded twice during the war, at Antietam and Petersburg, and experienced all levels of command and virtually every type of combat and campaign situation. Bolton reworked his Civil War journal some time after the war, drawing on the "Official Records" and other sources to supplement his own experiences. Dr. Richard Sauer is extremely knowledgeable about Civil War sources, and clearly indicates where Bolton drew on other sources or where his recollections or information were in error in this carefully edited work.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

The only guidebook of its kind covering Civil War-related sites in Philadelphia-the Union's second-largest cityWhen the Civil War began in 1861, Philadelphia was an important industrial center behind the Northern war effort. The city boasted two large federal arsenals, a major shipbuilding facility, the country's largest locomotive factory, and the busiest flag manufacturer in the United States. Philadelphia bankers raised valuable government bonds and millions of dollars for the Lincoln administration. Several prominent Union generals were born in Philadelphia, and the city enlisted scores of regiments for the Union cause. Philadelphia, long a center of abolitionist ferment, provided safe haven for escaping slaves on the Underground Railroad, and later a recruitment camp for black soldiers was established near the city.This unique guidebook includes descriptive background information on the city's rich Civil War heritage-historical buildings, Underground Railroad sites, museums, archives, libraries, cemeteries, commemorative statues and plaques. "Guide to Civil War Philadelphia" also includes an overview of the city's wartime history and a selected list of accommodations with Civil War connections.

The demand by the general public for new material on the American Civil War has increased greatly in recent years. Information is being sought on projects ranging from researching the wartime service of ancestors to more accurate details for re-enacting and wargaming, to those who want to try their hand at writing a Civil War book or article.For many, a great deal of time, effort and money is often wasted before locating the proper resources, and many never do find information which may actually be readily available. Dr. Richard A. Sauers has drawn upon his many years of Civil War research experience to produce this handy guide that will aid in almost any Civil War project.Using government records, locating and utilizing specialized libraries and collections, touring battlefield sites, contacting and drawing on Civil War interest organizations, and making the best use of published collections are all covered, with many useful tips. Dr. Sauers is also very up-to-date on electronic Civil War sources, from Internet websites to massive collections that are now available and often easier to use in electronic form.