How to Do Civil War Research

by Sauers, Richard A.

• ISBN13: 9781580970419
• ISBN10: 1580970419
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-08-22
• Publisher: Da Capo Press

Summary

The demand by the general public for new material on the American Civil War has increased greatly in recent years. Information is being sought on projects ranging from researching the wartime service of ancestors to more accurate details for re-enacting and wargaming, to those who want to try their hand at writing a Civil War book or article.For many, a great deal of time, effort and money is often wasted before locating the proper resources, and many never do find information which may actually be readily available. Dr. Richard A. Sauers has drawn upon his many years of Civil War research experience to produce this handy guide that will aid in almost any Civil War project.Using government records, locating and utilizing specialized libraries and collections, touring battlefield sites, contacting and drawing on Civil War interest organizations, and making the best use of published collections are all covered, with many useful tips. Dr. Sauers is also very up-to-date on electronic Civil War sources, from Internet websites to massive collections that are now available and often easier to use in electronic form.

Author Biography

Richard A. Sauers, Ph.D., has written numerous articles and over a dozen books on Civil War topics, including How to Do Civil War Research. Dr. Sauers is on the board of advisers of the Civil War Museum and Library in Philadelphia.

Table of Contents

Introduction	7	(2)
Focusing	9	(6)
Setting Out On Your Journey	15	(6)
Finding the Information You Need	21	(94)
People	23	(3)
Books	26	(26)
Primary Sources	26	(2)
Bibliographies	28	(10)
Biographies	38	(3)
Chronologies	41	(2)
Basic Reference Sources	43	(9)
Card Catalogs	52	(2)
Libraries	54	(9)
The National Archives	63	(9)
Regional Archives	72	(4)
State Archives	76	(1)
Historical Societies	76	(1)
Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Records	77	(4)
Museums	81	(2)
Private Collections	83	(1)
Town Records	84	(1)
Church Records	84	(1)
Genealogical Records	84	(1)
Census Records	85	(1)
Civil War Battlefield Sites	86	(6)
Trade Shows	92	(1)
The Internet	93	(4)
Newspapers	97	(7)
Civil War Newspapers	97	(4)
Illustrated Newspapers	101	(1)
Postwar Newspapers	102	(2)
Postwar Veterans' Publications	104	(3)
Magazines, Journals, and Newsletters	107	(8)
Organizing Your Information	115	(4)
Writing	119	(32)
Purpose and Goals	120	(1)
Style	121	(1)
Documentation	121	(1)
Footnotes/Endnotes	122	(2)
Indexing	124	(1)
Permission to Publish	125	(1)
Method of Writing	125	(1)
The Decision to Publish	126	(3)
Appendix
List of State Archives, Libraries, and Historical Societies	129	(22)
Index	151