By providing detailed analyses of Civil War primary sources, this book will help readers to understand the history of the bloodiest of all American conflicts.

This meticulously curated collection of primary source documents covers every aspect of the American Civil War, from its origins to its bloody engagements, all the way through the Reconstruction period. With approximately 300 primary sources, this comprehensive set includes orders and reports of significant battles, political debates and speeches, legislation, court cases, and literary works from the Civil War era. The documents provide insight into the thinking of all participants, drawing upon a vast range of sources that offer both a Northern and Southern perspective.

The book gives equal treatment to the Eastern and Western Theaters and to Union and Confederate sources, and the primary sources are presented in chronological order, making it easy for readers to compare and contrast documents as the key events of the conflict unfold. Each primary source begins with an introduction that sets the document in its proper context and concludes with an analysis of the document that will help students to understand the document’s significance.









Provides in-depth documentary coverage of all key aspects of the American Civil War, providing students with a foundation for understanding its continued significance to the United States



Features primary sources from the most significant battles and leaders of the conflict



Demonstrates the impact of the war upon civilians on both the home front and the battlefields where civilians were confronted by invasion and siege



Examines the impact of the war upon society as a whole, especially through the Emancipation Proclamation