John Burns with his gun and crutches in July 1863. Image Source: Library of Congress. On July 1, 1863, civilian John Burns joined Union soldiers and fought against the invading Confederate Army in the Battle of Gettysburg. Burns, a resident of the town, was a veteran of the War of 1812 and 69 years old. … Read more

General George G. Meade. Image Source: Library of Congress. The Battle of Gettysburg was fought from July 1–3, 1863 in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Over the course of the three days, both Union and Confederate armies suffered more than a combined 50,000 casualties, making it the bloodiest single battle of the entire … Read more

The Union 2nd Corps Hospital, Rock Creek, Battle of Gettysburg. Image Source: Civil War Talk. During the Civil War, field hospitals routinely treated soldiers for battle wounds, including enemy soldiers. Throughout the war, advancements were made in caring for the wounded but there were very few hospitals. It was common for homes, churches, and other … Read more

General James G. Blunt. Image Source: Library of Congress. James G. Blunt was a physician, lawyer, and abolitionist who rose to the rank of Major General in the Union Army during the Civil War. In fact, Blunt was the only man from Kansas to achieve that rank in the Union Army. Prior to the war, … Read more

General Abner Doubleday. Image Source: Library of Congress. Abner Doubleday (1819–1893) rose to the rank of Major General in the United States Army during the Civil War. He ordered the first shots to be fired in the defense of Fort Sumter, was injured at the Battle of Antietam, and fought at Gettysburg. However, he is … Read more

General Ulysses S. Grant. Image Source: Wikipedia. General Ulysses S. Grant is widely credited for leading the Union Army to victory in the American Civil War. Although he was accused of poor conduct early in the war, he was able to rise above the criticism and led the army to key victories in the Western … Read more

General Daniel Sickles. Image Source: Library of Congress. General Daniel Sickles (1819–1914) rose to the rank of Major General in the United States Army during the Civil War (1861—1865), despite his lack of military training. He is most well-known for disobeying orders on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, which led to the … Read more

General Stonewall Jackson. Image Source: Library of Congress. General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson (1824–1863) rose to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army during the Civil War (1861—1865). Widely regarded as a brilliant battlefield tactician, he played a major role in early Confederate victories in the Eastern Theater of the war. However, his life … Read more

Samuel Adams. Image Source: MFA Boston. Samuel Adams was one of the most important figures in the American Revolution. Adams rose to prominence when the Sugar Act was passed. Soon after, he became an important leader of the Patriot Cause and helped lead Bostonians — then colonists from all over America — on the path … Read more

President Jefferson Davis. Image Source: Wikimedia. Jefferson Davis (1808–1889) was elected President of the Confederate States of America on November 6, 1861. He led the Confederacy throughout the duration of the Civil War (1861–1865). Davis previously served as Secretary of War for the United States under President Franklin Pierce from 1853 to 1857. As Commander-in-Chief, … Read more

General Jubal Early. Image Source: Virginia Museum of History and Culture. General Jubal Early (1816–1894) rose to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army during the Civil War (1861—1865). Virginia seceded from the Union on April 17, 1861, Jubal Early remained loyal to his home state and he accepted a commission as a … Read more

General Benjamin Butler. Image Source: Library of Congress. General Benjamin Butler (1818–1893) rose to the rank of Major General in the United States Army during the Civil War (1861—1865). Butler is most well-known for his ruthless tenure as Military Governor of New Orleans in 1862. When the Civil War started, Benjamin Butler used his political … Read more

General Ambrose Burnside. Image Source: Library of Congress. General Ambrose Burnside (1824–1881) rose to the rank of Major General in the United States Army during the Civil War (1861—1865). Burnside led Union forces to important victories on the East Coast early in the war. However, he was controversial and fell out of favor when his … Read more

Robert E. Lee. Image Source: Wikipedia. Robert E. Lee is one of the most polarizing figures of the American Civil War. For some, he was a traitor to his country, but to others, he was protecting his family, friends, and neighbors from a government that was attacking its own people. When the Civil War started … Read more

General George Custer. Image Source: Library of Congress. General George Custer (1839–1876) rose to the rank of Major General in the United States Army during the Civil War (1861—1865). Custer graduated from West Point two months after the war started and quickly rose in the ranks. For his efforts at the Battle of Aldie (June … Read more

General Don Carlos Buell. Image Source: Library of Congress. General Don Carlos Buell (1818–1898) rose to the rank of Major in the United States Volunteer Army during the Civil War (1861—1865). Buell helped turn the tide in favor of the Union at the Battle of Shiloh (April 6–7, 1862). However, he fell out of favor … Read more

General Pierre Gustave-Toutant Beauregard. Image Source: Wikipedia. General Pierre Gustave-Toutant Beauregard (1818–1893) rose to the rank of General in the Confederate Army during the Civil War (1861—1865). He was in charge of Confederate forces that fired the first shots of the Civil War at the Battle of Fort Sumter in April 1861. P.G.T. Beauregard commanded … Read more

This illustration depicts James Longstreet giving orders at Gettysburg. Image Source: Library of Congress. General James Longstreet (1821–1904) rose to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army during the Civil War (1861—1865). He was one of Robert E. Lee’s most trusted officers, and Lee called him his “Old War Horse.” When the Civil … Read more

James Longstreet. Image Source: Wikimedia. When the Civil War started, James Longstreet was serving as a paymaster for the United States Army in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He resigned his commission on June 1, 1861, and returned to Alabama where he offered his services to the Confederacy. He received a commission as a Brigadier General in … Read more

Henry Ward Beecher. Image Source: Library of Congress. Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887) was a prominent pastor in the Congregationalist Church, social reformer, and speaker in the 19th century. He was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, the son of the famous Presbyterian minister Lyman Beecher and the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of “Uncle Tom’s … Read more