Shifting Terminology for Enslaved People
As the Civil War transformed the legal and social status of Black Americans, the language used to describe them evolved as well. In 1861, Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler claimed
Tag: abraham lincoln
President-Elect Lincoln Meets a Revolutionary War Veteran
A memorable meeting between two distinguished visitors took place at the Astor House in New York City during the morning of February 20, 1861. President-elect Abraham Lincoln, on his way
Bonds of Loyalty: Forged in Mexico, 1847 — Tested in Texas, 1864
By Ronald S. Coddington The declaration of war against Mexico in May 1846 ignited an explosion of recruiting for volunteer military organizations across the 28 United States. Men from all
Lincoln and Religious Nationalism
President Abraham Lincoln’s legacy looms large over our country’s history. During his time in the White House, he proclaimed no less than three days of fasting and humiliation, and six
“Angel of the Battlefield”
By Melissa A. Winn Capturing the story of Clara Barton in brief is an impossible feat. While many men and women who participated in the Civil War have remarkable narratives,
Lincoln’s Winning Hand
These political cartoons, published as cartes de visite, highlight the outcome of the 1864 presidential election in which incumbent Republican Abraham Lincoln trounced his Democratic Party rival, Maj. Gen. George
Albany Army Relief Bazaar Participants
By Elizabeth A. Topping According to an inscription on the back of this carte de visite, these girls participated in the Army Relief Bazaar held at Albany, N.Y. The hugely
The Little Gamecock: The rise of Brig. Gen. Evander McIver Law, C.S.A.
By Ronald S. Coddington, with images and artifacts from the Craig and Carol Wofford Collection Evander McIver Law focused his piercing blue eyes on the skyline above the Gettysburg countryside.
Divided Maryland: Portraits and personal stories from the Jonathan Beasley Collection
60,000 Fought for the Union. President Abraham Lincoln celebrated Maryland’s adherence to the United States in his December 1861 Annual Message to Congress. Referencing pro-secession riots in Baltimore and other
For the Sporting Man: A concise history of mail order erotica in the Civil War
By Elizabeth A. Topping, with images and ephemera from the author’s collection Mail call never failed to break the monotony of camp life and stirred anticipation among men and officers