William “Baldy” Smith (2022)
Book Reviews
Union general William Smith’s worst enemy was not the Confederates. It was himself.
A New Look at America’s Greatest Conflict
Current Issue
The Making of a General
Vol. 15, No. 1
Before he became the Union’s top soldier, Mexican War veteran turned store clerk Ulysses S. Grant needed to find a way back into the army.
Recent Posts
Medicine From a Pandora’s Box
The Front Line
Explore the story of the Civil War medicine box belonging to Confederate surgeon Christopher H. Tebaul.
Sons of East Tennessee (2022)
Book Reviews
Jack Brubaker’s “Sons of East Tennessee” contributes to the growing literature on veterans and the problem of Civil War memory.
Civil War Valentines
Photo Essays
View examples of the satirical and comic military-themed valentines that were sent during the Civil War.
Civil War Fashion, Part 1
Photo Essays
Dive into the world of Civil War fashion through images of distinctive uniforms and personal styles adopted by people in the 1860s.
A Great and Good Man (2024)
Book Reviews
“A Great and Good Man” is a valuable new addition to the growing scholarship on Abraham Lincoln.
Featured Posts
The 1864 Project Trailer
Featured
We’re excited to announce that the Monitor’s first-ever podcast series is launching later this month. The 1864 Project is a 7-part series that focuses on a vitally important year during the Civil War—1864. Listen to the trailer for more.
The Civil War’s Epidemics
Civil War Medicine
It’s well-known that the Civil War was the United States’ deadliest conflict. Between 750,000 and 1 million Americans died, shockingly high figures that still drive interest in the conflict more…
McClellan’s Culture of Command
Featured
George B. McClellan profoundly affected the course of the Civil War. His inexplicable retreat following a major victory at Malvern Hill in July 1862 undoubtedly lengthened the conflict and, to…
A Hospital Steward’s Story
Featured
During the Siege of Port Hudson in 1863—part of the Union military’s attempt to seize control of the Mississippi River—James Kendall Hosmer, a soldier in the 52nd Massachusetts Infantry,…
The Best Civil War Books of 2023
Featured
The Books & Authors section of our Winter 2023 issue contains our annual roundup of the year’s best Civil War titles. As usual, we’ve enlisted a handful of Civil War…
The Books That Built Me: John Hennessy
Featured
The contruction of my historiographical self began on a rainy afternoon in fifth grade. There was no chance for outdoor romping, or venturing through the deluge to a friend’s house…