Discovering The Civil War

Layers of time and memory obscure the American Civil War in a smoky haze. The real human beings, military and civilian, who lived through these years of travail and sacrifice, are lost to us, but the records they left behind give us a pathway back to the past.

The National Archives holds millions of records, both Union and Confederate. Discovering the Civil War draws on these letters, diaries, photos, petitions, and patents to give visitors a chance to walk in the shoes of researchers in unlocking… Show more secrets, solving mysteries, and uncovering unexpected events from this pivotal point in our history.

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