Commanders
11
Published: 3/14/25
The Making of a General
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.
Published: 3/10/25
A Lesser-Known Gettysburg Hero
Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain of the 20th Maine Infantry earned the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Gettysburg. So too did his regiment's color sergeant, Andrew Jackson Tozier.
Published: 1/27/25
Handsome Dan
A profile of Union general George B. McClellan's war horse "Daniel Webster," also known as "Handsome Dan."
Published: 1/2/25
The Winning Hand
A carte de visite titled “The Winning Hand” offers commenrtary on the 1864 presidential election.
Published: 12/23/24
A West Point Fantasy Draft
Evaluating antebellum West Point graduates based on their class performances as part of a mock Civil War commanders' NFL-style draft.
Published: 12/12/24
The Guns at Chickamauga
John Mendenhall, Thomas Crittenden, and a Fateful Decision
10
Published: 12/12/24
The Brothers’ War
How the bond between brothers William T. and John Sherman survived their conflicting views on the issue that tore the nation apart
6
Published: 10/2/24
Robert E. Lee’s Unwritten History
Author Stephen Cushman offers his theory as to why Robert E. Lee didn't write a memoir of his Civil War experiences.
Published: 6/3/24
McClellan’s Culture of Command
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...
19
Published: 3/18/24
Partners in War
Meet the wives of the American Civil War's top commanders. A special photo feature.
Published: 3/18/24
The Broken Glass Plate of Lincoln and McClellan
A look at Alexander Gardner's iconic photo of Abraham Lincoln and George McClellan at Antietam.
Published: 8/18/23
President Garfield (2023)
He was the first front porch campaigner and the last president born in a log cabin. After eking by former Union general Winfield Scott Hancock with the closest popular vote...
11
Published: 5/24/23
Elmer Ellsworth’s Civil War
Discover the story of Elmer Ellsworth, a Civil War hero and martyr. Learn about his tragic death and the impact it had on the Union cause.
Published: 11/21/22
Extra Dossier: George G. Meade
Library of Congress Major General George G. Meade For the Dossier section of our Fall 2022 issue, we asked a panel of Civil War historians a series of questions about...
Published: 11/18/22
Voices From the Army of Northern Virginia, Part 5
A Life of Gen. Robert E. Lee (1876) Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia at Gettysburg Four division commanders wrote letters that rival the best from anyone...
Published: 10/31/22
Voices From the Army of Northern Virginia, Part 4
USAHEC Confederate corps commander James Longstreet Literature on the Army of Northern Virginia contains book-length testimony from four of the seven officers who commanded its infantry corps. These titles include...
Published: 8/15/22
Major Knipe Winging a Secessionist
Joseph F. Knipe Library of Congress The following news item and image about an incident involving Union officer Joseph Knipe ran in Harper’s Weekly on July 20, 1861—the day before...
Published: 6/21/22
The Five Best Books on Lincoln and His Commanders
Library of Congress Abraham Lincoln was not a military man, yet in March 1861 he became commander in chief of forces that would soon face the task of suppressing an...