Books for the Civil War Buff in Your Life

History runs deep in the American psyche, and the Civil War resonates still, 150+ years on. For those who love military history and grapple with the defining conflict of the American experience, our Civil War titles commemorate the impact on both sides, while telling the necessary stories of this epic conflict. From the First Shot at Fort Sumter, through Gettysburg, Sherman’s March and Antietam, there are more than 100 books which look at the Civil War from the local perspective of the people who lived it.
7 products
Lincoln Funeral Train, The
Lincoln Funeral Train, The
$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%
The Search for the Underground Railroad in Upstate New York
The Search for the Underground Railroad in Upstate New York
$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%
New York's North Country and the Civil War
New York's North Country and the Civil War
$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%
Carl Schurz, German-American Statesman
Carl Schurz, German-American Statesman
$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%
The Underground Railroad on Long Island
The Underground Railroad on Long Island
$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%
Seneca County and the Civil War
Seneca County and the Civil War
$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%
Brooklyn's Plymouth Church in the Civil War Era:
Brooklyn's Plymouth Church in the Civil War Era:
$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Lincoln Funeral Train, The

9781467109529

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%
The effective end of the American Civil War on April 9, 1865, had hardly sunk in when, only five days later, another disaster stunned the battered and bloodied nation. On the night of April 9, Pres. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. There would be time for vengeful thoughts later, but first the Great Emancipator was going to get a royal send-off. At the center of what would become a three-week national funeral was a spectacular train that would carry Lincoln's remains, and those of his deceased son, from Washington, DC, to Springfield, Illinois. "The Lincoln Special" steamed slowly out of spring mists, allowing thousands of mourners lining the tracks a lingering view. It was a logistics miracle; a romantic pageant of sorrow and wonder, carried off flawlessly. Through the tears, however, was a sense that America's identity had turned a corner and was about to enter a dynamic and hopeful future. Author of nine books, Michael Leavy is an avid Civil War and railroad historian. Leavy has searched through archives to locate rare photographs and new details and dispel some lingering myths surrounding this tragic but formative American event.
Lincoln Funeral Train, The

The Search for the Underground Railroad in Upstate New York

9781626194205

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%
Because of its clandestine nature, much of the history of the Underground Railroad remains shrouded in secrecy--so much so that some historians have even doubted its importance. After decades of research, Tom Calarco recounts his experiences compiling evidence to give credence to the legend's oral history in upstate New York. As the Civil War loomed and politicians from the North and South debated the fate of slavery, brave New Yorkers risked their lives to help fugitive slaves escape bondage. Whites and blacks alike worked together on the Underground Railroad, using ingenious methods of communication and tactics to stay ahead of the slave master and bounty hunter. Especially after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, conscientious residents doubled their efforts to help runaways reach Canada. Join Calarco on this journey of discovery of one of the noblest endeavors in American history.
The Search for the Underground Railroad in Upstate New York

New York's North Country and the Civil War

9781609496517

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%
Although Northern New York did not host any Civil War battles, it did not come out unscathed in the War Between the States. Brave soldiers fought in many major clashes, such as those of Jefferson County's Thirty-fifth New York Volunteer Regiment. Civilians struggled for the cause in their own way, with many active Underground Railroad stops across the region. The war's legacy lived on decades beyond the conflict through the many members of the Grand Army of the Republic, Harriet Tubman's home in Auburn and John Brown's burial place in North Elba. Author Dave Shampine compiles his most fascinating columns from the Watertown Daily Times to chronicle the role that New York's North Country played in the Civil War.
New York's North Country and the Civil War

Carl Schurz, German-American Statesman

9781634991407

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%
This is the story of a nineteenth-century hero: Carl Schurz led German revolutionary refugee immigrants, "48ers," to make major contributions to American society. His career as a reformer, orator, foreign ambassador, Civil War general, United States senator, Secretary of the Interior and newspaper editorial writer was instrumental for the abolition of slavery, civil service reform, Southern reconstruction, indian affairs and general "muckraking" in the face of old-school backroom politics. He campaigned for Abraham Lincoln and examined the plight of the freedmen in the South, seeking a vote and property for them. As a senator from Missouri, he fought corruption; as the Secretary of the Interior, he organized the Indian Bureau, and pioneered the early ecology movements. He spent the last twenty-six years of his life in New York, as a newspaper editor and writer. Carl Schurz was the public voice of reason in the press of the "Gilded Age." His statement, "My country right or wrong, if right to be kept right; and if wrong to be set right," has been quoted regularly in twenty-first century media.
Carl Schurz, German-American Statesman

The Underground Railroad on Long Island

9781609497705

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Discover Long Island's pivotal role in the Underground Railroad and the stories of the brave men and women whose legacy lives on today.

From the arrival of the Quakers in the seventeenth century to the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation, Long Island played an important role in the Underground Railroad's work to guide slaves to freedom. In Old Westbury, the Post family established a major stop on the freedom trail with the help of an escaped Virginia slave. In Jericho, families helped escaping slaves to freedom from the present-day Maine Maid Inn. Elias Hicks helped free 191 slaves himself and worked to create Underground Railroad safe houses in many northeastern cities. Some former slaves even established permanent communities across the island. Visit the safe houses--many of which are still standing today--and explore the journey of runaway slaves on Long Island.

The Underground Railroad on Long Island

Seneca County and the Civil War

9781626196339

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%
Though hundreds of miles away from the death and destruction of the battlefield, Seneca County, New York, contributed more than its share for the preservation of the Union. Many brave men left home to fight, suffering hardships and casualties. John Hoster was captured in 1864 and held at the infamous Andersonville prison camp, and his journal has provided invaluable insight into what soldiers held there endured. At home, Seneca farmers fed Lincoln's hungry army, and the legend of the Scythe Tree is a reminder of those who never returned from battle. After the war, Waterloo's celebration in remembrance of fallen soldiers was mimicked around the country, and Waterloo is recognized as the official birthplace of Memorial Day. Local historian Walter Gable recounts the remarkable story of Seneca County during the Civil War.
Seneca County and the Civil War

Brooklyn's Plymouth Church in the Civil War Era:

9781609498108

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%
As the financial capital of the nation, Manhattan had close ties and strong sympathies with the South. But across the East River in Brooklyn stood a bastion of antislavery sentiment--Plymouth Church--led by Henry Ward Beecher. He guided his congregants in a crusade against the institution. They held mock slave auctions, raised money to purchase freedom for slaves and sent guns--nicknamed Beecher's Bibles"--to those struggling for a free Kansas. Harriet Beecher Stowe, Beecher's sister, wrote the influential "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and Lewis Tappan and George Whipple led an enormous effort to educate freed slaves. Plymouth Church was not only publicly important in the fight for abolition but also a busy Underground Railroad station. Once the Civil War broke out, the congregation helped raise troops and supplies for the U.S. Army. Discover this beautiful church's vital role in the nation's greatest struggle."
Brooklyn's Plymouth Church in the Civil War Era: