Primary Sources
Boston Public Library Resources
- Book list - Civil War Primary Resources: 13 Books To Check Out Now Primary sources are items that were made at the time you are researching - in this case, items that were made during the Civil War! The Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865, and these books are all re-printed primary sources that you can check out now.
Other Online Resources
Books at the Boston Public Library
The Civil War by Call Number: E464 .C54 2004ISBN: 9780313321269Publication Date: 2004-10-30Topical chapters offer multiple annotated documents related to twenty-four crucial topics and events occurring and debated during the War Between the States.
Diary of William Bircher by Call Number: J BIOG E601 .B6052 2014ISBN: 9781476551388Publication Date: 2014-02-01In 1861 William Bircher joined the Union Army to help fight the Civil War. Too young to be a soldier, William was a drummer. He witnessed the many hardships of war-long marches, severe cold, hunger, disease, and the great loss of lives. Through it all, 15-year-old William recorded his experiences in his diary. Follow his story of challenges and triumphs.
On the Altar of Freedom by Call Number: E513.554th .G66 1991ISBN: 9781558492028Publication Date: 1999-04-06From basic training at Camp Meigs in Readville, Massachusetts, through campaigns in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida, Gooding faithfully records the activities of the 54th, including the legendary storming of Fort Wagner. He also voices the injustice felt by soldiers of his regiment over the issue of unequal pay, the refusal to promote deserving black enlistees to officer rank, and the deeply ingrained racism of whites in both the North and South.
Civil War
Source: Boston Public Library
This page includes resources from the American Civil War, which occurred between the years of 1861 and 1865. The war began after Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, and eleven states seceded from, or left, the union. The main reason for the conflict was how much control the federal government had over states, with slavery being considered the largest reason. The armies consisted of the Union in the north and the Confederacy in the south, and it is the deadliest war in United States history with over 600,000 casualties. The war ended in 1865 when General Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union.
People
Source: History of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, page 33
The 54th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was one of the first official African American regiments in the Civil War. The regiment fought for the Union and was led by white abolitionist Robert Gould Shaw.
Source: New York Public Library
Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th president of the United States in 1860. He was assassinated in 1865, just a few days after Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union and ended the Civil War.
Source: New York Public Library
Harriet Tubman lived from 1822 to 1913 and was, among other things, a former slave, an abolitionist, and a spy. She led expeditions during the Civil War and helped slaves escape along the Underground Railroad.
Events
Gettysburg Battle Ground, Source: Digital Commonwealth
The Battle of Gettysburg was fought on July 1 to 3 in 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, with more than 51,000 casualties. President Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address in November 1863 at the site of the battle to honor the fallen Union soldiers.
Map of the United States after the Emancipation Proclamation, labeling slave territory and the new free territory.
Source: New York Herald, January 4, 1863, from 19th Century US Newspapers
The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863, and it changed the legal status of southern slaves to free. This federal order was meant to override state laws on slavery, and it meant slaves who escaped the Confederacy automatically became free. The Emancipation Proclamation only affected areas in rebellion and did not free all slaves. The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution completely abolished slavery and was ratified in 1865.
Civil War Enlistment Paper, Source: Digital Commonwealth
Letters and diaries of people who lived during the Civil War can give you an idea of life at that time, and they can can show you how big events were perceived or how everyday life was.