| Essential
References for Civil War Research |
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| Title | Author | Physical Description | Publishing Date(s) and Publisher | Narrative Description | ||||||||||
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United
States, War Department |
128
Volumes + Index |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1880-1901; National Historical Society,
1987 |
Multi-volume
set includes documents from both the Union and Confederacy; including
letters, telegrams, reports.
Organized into four separate topical series:
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United
States, Navy Department |
30
Volumes + Index |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1894-1927; National Historical Society,
1987 |
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United
States, War Department |
2
Volumes (reprinted as 1 volume) [Initially issued in 37 parts] |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1891; New York, Thomas Yoseloff, 1958;
Arno Press and Crown Publishers, Inc., 1978 |
A
compendium of maps designed to accompany OR, prepared by the War Department
in the 1880s and 1890s. Detailed tactical maps, though not particularly
well labelled. Also contains a few pages on corps badges, uniforms, sword
patterns, unit flags, etc. Doesn't contain much in the way of larger maps
of states or regions. |
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Hewett,
Janet B., ed., et al |
100
Volumes |
Wilmington:
Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1994-2001 |
Contains
supplemental records gathered from libraries, museums, archives, previously
printed sources, and approximately 63,000 newspapers published in the
Confederacy that were not included in the original Army Official Records.
It was issued in four parts as follows:
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A
User's Guide to the Official Records of the American Civil War |
Aimone,
Alan C.; Aimone, Barbara A. |
1
Volume |
Shippensburg,
PA: White Mane Publishing Co., 1993 |
Among
the many virtues of the Aimones' work is a handy appendix (VIT) listing
the various War Department designations, as well as their numbers in the
congressional serial set, of which the OR is a part. Their work also affords informed discussions of
the background, editorial policies, and organization of the OR Armies, Navies,
and Atlas;
the available finding aids; and the value and limitations of what was
in fact the government's greatest venture into documentary editing. Especially
noteworthy are nine appendixes covering everything from reprint editions
to annotated bibliographies of related publications. |
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Military
Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States |
70
Volumes |
Military
Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, 1887-1915; Wilmington:
Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1992-1995 |
This
70 volume set gives biographical sketches and first hand accounts of experiences
in the Union Army. Many articles include portraits, maps, and other
illustrations. The index is by name and subject. |
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Medical
and Surgical History of the Civil War |
United
States Army Surgeon General |
12
Volumes + 3 Volume Index |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1870-1888; Wilmington: Broadfoot Publishing
Company, 1990-1992 |
Statistics
on injury/disability, illness and death in the Army compiled from reports
to the Surgeon General. Data on "violent diseases and deaths"
include suicide and execution. All statistics are subdivided by "White"
and "Colored" troops. A resource listing the names, ranks, and service units of soldiers for both the Union and Confederacy. A typical entry will also list where and when the soldier was wounded, the nature of the wounds and whether the soldier died. Statistical data by region makes this an excellent historical as well as a genealogical source. It is indexed by state and unit, name and subject. |
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N/A |
9
Volumes (1908 edition has 8 volumes) |
Madison,
WI: Federal Publishing Company, 1908; Wilmington: Broadfoot Publishing
Company, 1998 |
Issued
originally in eight volumes, now includes a new master index. Similar
in scope to Dyer's Compendium, but contains additional details and accounts.
Volumes I-IV: Unit histories; some steel engraving illustrations; Volumes
V-VI: Cyclopedia of Battles; lists alphabetically the engagements, including
lesser-known events; Volume VII: The Navy; Volume VIII: Biographical sketches
of all major and brigadier generals of the Union Army. Some supplemental
biographies of enlisted men also included; Volume IX: Index. |
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Military
Operations of the Civil War: A guide-index to the Official Records of
the Union and Confederate Armies, 1861-65 |
Irvine,
Dallas, comp. |
5
Volumes |
Washington,
D.C.: Civil War Centennial Commission, 1966 |
Explanation
of the arrangement of the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion,
with a short description of the contents of volumes & chapters, including
theatres of operation, a list of maps, a list of principal military operations
by state and date, and calendars and an almanac for the years 1861-1865.
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The
Union Army, 1861-1865: Organization and Operations |
Frank
J. Welcher |
2
Volumes |
Bloomington,
IN: Indiana University Press, 1989-1993 |
A
compiled account of the organization of all Union military divisions,
departments, armies, army corps, divisions, brigades, and numerous special
commands. The book also describes the command of the armies of the United
States, miscellaneous organizations, and battles and campaigns. |
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United
States Congress |
9
Volumes (1863-66 edition has 8 volumes) |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1863-1866; Wilmington: Broadfoot Publishing
Company, 1998 |
The
Committee's Reports offer readers a prodigious amount of testimony that
sheds light on Gettysburg, many other major campaigns, most of the principal
generals of the Union high command, and behind-the-scenes politics that
shaped prosecution of the Union war effort. The reprinting . . . with
a full new index and a simplified numbering system for the volumes gives
modern students easy access to one of the great printed collections of
firsthand testimony from leading participants in the conflict. |
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The
Civil War Dictionary |
Boatner,
Mark Mayo |
1
Volume |
New
York : D. McKay Co., c1959 |
A
dictionary of Civil War names, places, battles, and terms, with one paragraph
descriptions of each. Designed as a quick and easy reference to let you
get a quick grasp of a subject starting from only a name or place. |
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Roster
of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 |
Hewett,
Janet B., ed. |
16
Volumes |
Wilmington:
Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1996 |
The
Roster of Confederate Soldiers 1861-1865, published in 16 volumes,
contain the transcriptions of the National Archive microfilm series "Index
to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Confederate Soldiers Who Served
in Organizations From...." The title page of each volume lists the
specific National Archives microfilm series and roll numbers from which
the information was taken. |
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Roster
of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 |
Hewett,
Janet B., ed. |
33
Volumes |
Wilmington:
Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1997 |
The
Roster of Union Soldiers 1861-1865, published in 33 volumes, contain
the transcriptions of the National Archive microfilm series "Index
to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in
Organizations From...." The title page of each volume lists the specific
National Archives microfilm series and roll numbers from which the information
was taken. |
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Photographic
History of the Civil War |
Miller,
Francis T., ed. |
10
Volumes |
New
York: Review of Reviews, 1912; New York, T. Yoseloff, 1957 |
Contains
thousands of photographs from the Civil War, with some descriptive text.
Entries are arranged topically, with a detailed index in vol. 10. Issued
in ten volumes: v. 1. The opening battles.--v. 2. Two years of grim war.--v.
3. The decisive battles.--v. 4. The cavalry.--v. 5. Forts and artillery.--v.
6. The navies.--v. 7. Prisons and hospitals.--v. 8. Soldier life, secret
service.--v. 9. Poetry and eloquence of Blue and Gray.--v. 10. Armies
and leaders. |
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Official
Army Register of Volunteer Force of U.S. Army for Years 1861-1865 |
United
States, War Department |
9
Volumes (1865 edition has 8 volumes) |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1865; Gaithersburg: Olde Soldier Books,
1987 |
Published
in 8 parts: 1) New England, 2) New York, New Jersey, 3) mid-Atlantic,
4) West Virginia and Confederate states, 5) Ohio, Michigan, 6) Indiana,
Illinois, 7) Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, California, Kansas,
Oregon, Nevada, 8) territories. Listing of military units, with officers
by rank or position; and individual deaths, promotions, transfers, desertions,
missing personnel, discharges; battles; enlisted men who received medals
of honor. Alphabetical index in back of each. |
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Dyer,
Frederick Henry |
3
Volumes (reprinted as 2 volumes) |
Des
Moines, IA : Dyer Publishing Company, 1908; New York: National Historical
Society, 1979 |
A
compilation of the records of the Union Army from the Official Records
of the War of the Rebellion and other records of the Federal & Confederate
armies, reports of the adjutant generals of the various states, army registers,
and other sources. Part I contains statistical breakdowns; Part II the
records of campaigns, battles, skirmishes & important events and operations;
Part III the regimental histories. All description is at the regimental
level. |
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|
Compendium
of the Confederate Armies |
Sifakis,
Stewart |
10
Volumes |
New
York: Facts on File, 1992 |
Arranged
by state. Entry for each military unit: nicknames or misdesignations;
commanding officers; information on organization and composition; campaigns
and battles; suggested further reading, if any. |
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Roll
of Honor, Quartermaster's Department |
United
States, War Department |
27
Volumes |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1865; Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing,
1994, 2001 |
Listings
of Union Army personnel interred in military cemeteries, with ranks and
military units. Most include black troops and unknown soldiers. Arranged
by National Cemetery. |
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|
Index
to the Roll of Honor |
Reamy,
Martha and William |
1
Volume |
Baltimore:
Genealogical Publishing, 1995 |
The
twelve hundred pages of this index contain the names, in alphabetical
order, of the 228,639 Union soldiers listed in the 27 volumes of the Roll.
Indexed by volume and page number, all names mentioned in this famous
series of burial registers are now immediately accessible, and the Roll
of Honor is at once transformed from an interesting miscellany of fringe
history to a reference work of major importance. |
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List
of Pensioners on the Roll January 1, 1883 |
United
States Pension Office |
5
Volumes |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1883; Baltimore: Genealogical
Publishing, 1970 |
These
books list the name, certificate number, post office address (i.e. town,
etc.), the cause for which the person was pensioned, the monthly rate,
and the date of the original allowance. Some allowances date back to the
Civil War years. |
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Military
Bibliography of the Civil War |
Dornbusch,
C. E., comp. |
4
Volumes |
New
York: New York Public Library, 1971 (vols. 1-3); Dayton: Morningside House,
1987 (vol. 4) |
"A
listing of books published in Union and Confederate regiments, and personal
narratives. 1987 is the latest update. An ideal way to track down the
wartime experiences of a relative whose unit is known." |
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Guide
to the Archives of the Government of the Confederate States of America |
Beers,
Henry Putney |
1
Volume |
Washington,
D.C.: GSA, National Archives & Records Service, 1968 |
Explains
the organization of the Confederate government, and describes the kinds
of records created and received by each agency or division. Each section
opens with a historical statement of the functions and responsibilities
of the branch of the Government or the department or agency concerned.
Records of a general nature are described first, followed by separate
descriptions of the records of subordinate bureaus or offices. Since these
records were scattered after the war, the volume also includes records
surveyed in the Library of Congress, in several large public and university
libraries, and in the archives of the former Confederate states. There
is an appendix listing the record groups which contain Confederate records,
as well as an index. |
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|
Guide
to Federal Archives Relating to the Civil War |
Munden,
Kenneth W.; Beers, Henry Putney |
1
Volume |
Washington,
D.C.: GSA, National Archives & Records Service, 1962 |
Explains
the organization of the Federal government during the Civil War, and describes
the kinds of records created and received by each agency or division of
the executive, legislative, & judicial branches. Each section opens
with a historical statement of the functions and responsibilities of the
branch of the Government or the department or agency concerned, with an
emphasis on its wartime duties. Records of a general nature are described,
followed by separate descriptions of the records of subordinate bureaus
or offices. There is an appendix listing the record groups which contain
records relating to the Civil War, as well as an index. |
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|
Guide
to Civil War Maps in the National Archives |
National
Archives and Records Administration |
1
Volume |
Washington,
D.C.: GSA, National Archives and Records Administration,1986 |
Part
I is a general guide to the approximately 8,000 Civil War maps in the
Cartographic & Architectural Branch; Part II describes selected maps
of exceptional interest in more detail. Index. |
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Stephenson,
Richard W., comp. |
1
Volume |
Washington,
D.C.: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, 1989 |
The Civil War Maps collection
contains approximately 2,240 Civil War maps and charts and 76 atlases
and sketchbooks that are held within the Library's Geography and Maps
Division. The maps, charts, and atlases depict battles, troop positions
and movements, engagements, and fortifications. Also included are reconnaissance
maps, sketch maps, coastal charts, and theater of war maps. |
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Francis
B. Heitman |
2
Volumes |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1903; Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing,
1994 |
2
volume set. Main section of volume one is alphabetical. Other sections
are arranged by units of service. Parts of volume two are alphabetical. |
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|
Encyclopedia
of the Confederacy |
Current,
Richard N., ed. in chief |
4
Volumes |
New
York: Simon & Schuster, 1993 |
Covers
Confederate society, culture, and politics as well as events and people
in the Civil War–era South. The articles are arranged alphabetically. |
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Gen.
Clement A. Evans (editor) |
12
Volumes (original); 17 Volumes + 2 Volume Index (extended edition) |
Atlanta,
GA: Confederate Publishing Company, 1899 (original); Wilmington: Broadfoot
Publishing Company, 1987 (Extended Edition) |
This
17 volume set contains biographical sketches and regimental histories.
The first volume is a history of the Confederacy written by distinguished
men from the South. |
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Southern
Historical Society Papers |
Jones,
J. William, et.al., eds. |
52
Volumes + Index |
Southern
Historical Society, 1876-1959; Wilmington: Broadfoot Publishing Company,
1990 |
These
papers, published between 1876 and 1959, detail Confederate action and
life during the Civil War as well as aspects and events of the postwar
period. Personal recollections of veterans ranging from generals to privates,
unit rosters, correspondence, commentaries on men and events, book reviews
and other literary donations made each volume a gold mine for almost any
type of historical research. Two of the best-known installments are Volume
XV ("The Appomattox Roster"), which contains a listing by units
of the men who surrendered with Lee; and Volume XLIII, which consists
of two extremely valuable articles on the 1862 Valley Campaign and "Stonewall"
Jackson. |
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Confederate
Veteran Magazine |
Cunningham,
Sumner A., ed. |
43
Volumes (original edition has 40 volumes) |
Nashville,
TN: United Confederate Veterans, 1893-1932; Wilmington: Broadfoot Publishing
Company, 1988 |
This
journal, a 40 volume set, was published between Jan. 1893 - Dec. 1932
about the "...Confederate Soldier, the South, and postwar southern
patriotic organizations." A three volume index makes this set easy
to use. Of special interest is a "Battle Synonyms" section on
pages xxix-xxxix in volume one of the index. This section is a list of
battles and engagements with cross references to names for the same battle
or to names for another fray that was part of or leading up to another
battle. |
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Johnson,
Robert U., and Clarence C. Buell, eds. |
4
Volumes |
New
York: The Century Company, 1887-88 |
Originally
conceived in 1883, here you can read the eyewitness accounts of the Civil
War’s great events written by commanders and their subordinates, Confederate
and Union alike, who were firsthand participants. Profusely illustrated
with maps, charts, and engravings by prominent artists of the era. Issued
in four volumes: Vol. I, The Opening Battles; Vol. II, The Struggle Intensifies;
Vol. III, The Tide Shifts; Vol. IV, Retreat With Honor. |
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Fox,
William F. |
1
Volume |
Albany,
NY: Albany Publishing Company,1889: Dayton: Morningside House, 1985 |
Regiment
by regiment, lists all the losses suffered in the various battles of the
war. Also contains synopsis histories of each corps in the Union Army,
and a fair amount of other very interesting information. |
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|
Personnel
of the Civil War |
Amann,
William Frayne, ed. |
2
Volumes |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1885; New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1961 |
Matches
official unit designations with local designations or "nicknames."
Vol. 1 - Confederate Armies; Vol. 2 - Union Armies. |
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Civil
War Naval Chronology, 1861-1865 |
U.S.
Naval History Division |
Originally
published in six parts, plus index |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1961-1966; Washington, D.C.: Government
Printing Office, 1970 (one-volume reprint) |
Maps,
illustrations and commentary on the daily activities of the U.S. Navy
during the Civil War years. Gives an account of U.S. Naval activities
for each day from 1861-1865. |
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U.S.
Naval History Division |
9
Volumes |
Washington,
D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1959-1991 |
The
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, commonly known as DANFS,
is the foremost reference regarding US naval vessels. Published in nine
volumes (from 1959 to 1991), it gives histories for virtually every US
naval vessel. |
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COPYRIGHT
2002-2004 SOLDIERQUEST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. |
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