The Civil War Monitor

The Case of the Two Graves Unraveling the mystery surrounding the death and final resting place of former Confederate president Jefferson Davis.

In the latest installment of her "Unhidden History" column, Zethyn McKinley writes about the mystery surrounding the death and final resting place of former CSA president Jefferson Davis. Read it here: www.civilwarmonitor.com/the-case-of-...

William Sherman was born in Lancaster, OH, #otd in 1820. The West Point grad began the conflict in command of a brigade; by war's end, he had succeeded U.S. Grant in command of the war's western theater and overseen devastatingly successful campaigns in Georgia and the Carolinas.

Union gunboats commanded by Andrew H. Foote bombarded Confederate Fort Henry on the Tennessee River into submission #otd in 1862. The surrender opened the river to Union traffic and set the stage for U.S. Grant's successful advance upon Fort Donelson 12 miles distant.

John Brown in New York (2025) A detailed review of "John Brown in New York: The Man, His Family, and the Adirondack Landscape" by Sandra Weber.

"John Brown in New York: The Man, His Family, and the Adirondack Landscape" by Sandra Weber is "an excellent and engaging book that students of John Brown will want on their bookshelf," writes Brian Matthew Jordan. Read more about it here: tinyurl.com/yr59uwzj

Civil War Inventions A look at a variety of proposed wartime inventions—some more practical than others—highlighted in the pages of The Scientific American.

During the Civil War, The Scientific American highlighted inventors’ proposed creations in its pages—some more practical than others—that promised (or over-promised) improvements in the lives and effectiveness of Union soldiers. View some of them here: tinyurl.com/vsz76acp

The ironclad warship USS Monitor launched at Greenpoint, NY, #otd in 1862. Its low profile and large cylindrical gun turret initially earned it the derisive nickname "cheesebox on a raft," yet the innovative vessel quickly helped usher in a new era in naval warfare.

Union Soldiers of Southwestern Illinois (2024) A detailed review of "Union Soldiers of Southwestern Illinois" by John J. Dunphy.

"Union Soldiers of Southwestern Illinois" by John J. Dunphy "is valuable for providing readers with insights into some the lesser-known residents of a region best known for pro-Confederate fealties," writes Riley Sullivan. Read more about it here: tinyurl.com/5n6fa2m6

A Crab Warship An 1864 letter to "The Scientific American" outlines a fantastical idea for a new kind of Civil War warship.

"In shape it is like a turtle, covered with a thick shell or armor, and armed with a sharp stylet or prow." So wrote a Pennsylvania man to The Scientific American in 1864 about his plans for a crab-like warship. Read his entire (failed) pitch here: tinyurl.com/3589rdy2

The Girl in the Middle (2025) A detailed review of "The Girl in the Middle: A Recovered History of the American West" by Martha A. Sandweiss.

“The Girl in the Middle: A Recovered History of the American West” by Martha A. Sandweiss “is a model of historical detective work,” writes Evan C. Rothera. Read more about it here: tinyurl.com/4uecpnun

The Colonel Who Defied a General A look at the bold performance of Colonel Francis Heath, 19th Maine Infantry, at the Battle of Gettysburg.

In our latest digital history column, Larry Korczyk examines the bold performance of Colonel Francis Heath, 19th Maine Infantry, at the Battle of Gettysburg. Read it here: bit.ly/4pPqUcO

Edwin M. Stanton was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of War by the Senate #otd in 1862, succeeding Simon Cameron in the position. Stanton would become a key figure in the Lincoln administration, reorganizing the War Department to manage the massive Union war effort.

The Republican House Divided (2025) A detailed review of "The Republican House Divided: Civil War Memory, Civil Rights, and the Transformation of the GOP" by Tim Galsworthy.

"The Republican House Divided" by Tim Galsworthy joins a "growing shelf of books assessing how Americans contested the Civil War’s memory and legacy in the late twentieth century," writes Brian Matthew Jordan. Read more about it here: bit.ly/4sGaA0G

Odd Civil War Photos, Pt. 3 Discover more strange and offbeat images from the Civil War in this installment of the "Odd Civil War Photos" series. Part 3 is here!

In the third installment of our “Odd Civil War Photos” series, we highlight more strange and offbeat images made during the conflict. View them here: tinyurl.com/477uhc8w

James Longstreet was born in Edgefield District, South Carolina, #otd in 1821. After graduating from West Point in 1842, he served in the U.S. Army until 1861, when he resigned his commission to join the Confederate military, in which he rose to the rank of lieutenant general.

David Davis (2025) A detailed review of "David Davis: Abraham Lincoln’s Favorite Judge" by Raymond J. McKoski.

"David Davis: Abraham Lincoln’s Favorite Judge" by Raymond J. McKoski is an "interesting and informative biography," writes Evan C. Rothera. Read more about it here: tinyurl.com/mr4xkz7k @illinoispress.bsky.social

A Grave in Her Garden The story of North Carolinian Sarah R. Johnston, who nursed ailing Union POWs at Salisbury Prison in the face of social backlash.

In our latest digital history column, Megan VanGorder writes about Sarah R. Johnston, a southern woman who aided Union POWs at Salisbury Prison in the face of severe social backlash. Read it here: tinyurl.com/yc2faedx

The Battle of Stones River concluded #otd in 1863. Braxton Bragg's Confederates attacked enemy positions east of the river but Union artillery inflicted heavy losses; Bragg withdrew the following day. Over 30% of all troops engaged were killed, wounded, or captured/missing.

The Emancipation Proclamation Discover the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation in the fight for freedom during the Civil War, as told through historical artwork.

The Emancipation Proclamation—which declared "all persons held as slaves” in the rebellious states “are, and henceforward shall be free”—took effect #otd in 1863. Its enactment moved artists to salute the document, its effects & President Lincoln. View examples here: bit.ly/3RG6ALT

New Year's Eve in Camp Read the poignant reflections of Union officer William Thompson Lusk in a letter to his sister written on New Year's Eve 1862.

"I would try and be sentimental in view of New Year’s Eve, but that could hardly be looked for in a man that eats onions." So wrote Union officer William Lusk in a letter home on Dec. 31, 1862. Read his entire thoughts on the turn of the New Year here: tinyurl.com/zn7ev6d5

Union Guerrillas of Civil War Kansas (2025) A detailed review of "Union Guerrillas of Civil War Kansas: Jayhawkers and Red Legs" by Paul A. Thomas and Matt M. Matthews.

In "Union Guerrillas of Civil War Kansas: Jayhawkers and Red Legs," authors Paul A. Thomas and Matt M. Matthews "provide a balanced perspective on their protagonists," writes Riley Sullivan. Read more about the book here: civilwarmonitor.com/union-guerrillas-of-civil-war-kansas-2025/

The Dog of the Regiment Read the poem "The Dog of the Regiment," which tells the tale of a loyal dog adopted by a Union sergeant in the midst of the Civil War.

In June 1864, Harper’s Weekly published an unattributed poem about a dog taken in by a Union sergeant. The story would have rung true with countless Civil War soldiers who had “adopted” personal or regimental pets during the conflict. Read it here: tinyurl.com/4fhh3edh

A very Merry Christmas to all who celebrate the day. Shown here: Thomas Nast’s depiction of Santa Claus distributing presents to soldiers at a Union army camp, published in Harper’s Weekly in January 1863. #MerryChristmas

The Devil's Own Purgatory (2025) A detailed review of "The Devil’s Own Purgatory: The United States Mississippi River Squadron in the Civil War" by Robert Gudmestad.

"The Devil’s Own Purgatory: The United States Mississippi River Squadron in the Civil War" by Robert Gudmestad "merits a wide readership and the many accolades it is sure to receive," writes Brian Matthew Jordan. Read why he thinks so here: tinyurl.com/4nadefx5

Impractical Packages from Home In 1862, a Wisconsin newspaper poked fun at people who sent impractical care packages to family and friends in the Union army.

In 1862, a Wisconsin newspaper published an article titled “What to Send to Soldiers," a sarcastic piece that poked fun at people who were reportedly shipping impractical items to friends and loved ones the front. Read it here: tinyurl.com/53t7934z

Still holiday shopping? Consider a 1-year gift subscription—print, digital, or All Access—to the Monitor for the history enthusiast on your list. Your recipient will get an email announcing the gift on the date you choose. Order here: civilwarmonitor.com/subscribe/

#otd in 1860, members of a secession convention in South Carolina—who had gathered in the wake of Abraham Lincoln's election as president—declared the state's withdrawal from the U.S. This Charleston Mercury broadside, published the same day, spread the momentous news.

The Second Manassas Campaign (2025) A detailed review of "The Second Manassas Campaign" edited by Caroline E. Janney and Kathryn J. Shively.

"The Second Manassas Campaign" edited by Caroline E. Janney and Kathryn J. Shively is a collection of "nine splendid essays" on a "chronically understudied" campaign, writes Brian Matthew Jordan. Read more about it here: tinyurl.com/5n6nvt44 @uncpress.bsky.social

A Costly Science How the military decisions made during a number of Civil War battles were critically influenced by the presence of acoustic shadows.

In the latest installment of his "Science and War" digital history column, Scott Hippensteel writes about acoustic shadows and the impact they had on Civil War battlefields. Read it here: tinyurl.com/ywpccs2s

War Fought and Felt (2025) A detailed review of "War Fought and Felt: The Emotional Motivations of Confederate Soldiers" by Joshua R. Shiver.

"War Fought and Felt: The Emotional Motivations of Confederate Soldiers" by Joshua R. Shiver "raises new areas and new questions for historians to explore," writes Brian Matthew Jordan. Read more about it here: tinyurl.com/ebay337t @lsupress.bsky.social

A Zouave at Fredericksburg Experience the Battle of Fredericksburg through the eyes of a soldier in the 5th New York Infantry (Duryea's Zouaves).

The Army of the Potomac suffered a decisive defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862. Shortly afterward, a New York soldier who survived the fight unscathed wrote about his experiences in a detailed letter to his parents. Read it here: tinyurl.com/ydzvw2ed