Introduction

U. S. Civil War fought from 1861 to 1865 provides us with a huge amount of historical documents.

The technology of photography had advanced to the point where photographers were able to go onto the field of battle and photograph actual battle scenes.  As a result, we have thousands of photographs of the Civil War.

Both the Northern and the Southern armies kept very detailed records of company roll calls and battle reports.  These reports were later compiled into something known as The Official Record of the War of Rebellion, also called the OR for short.

One of the most interesting of the Civil War historical documents was the personal journal.  Many people (civilians and soldiers) kept personal journals or diaries of their daily experiences during the war.  These journals provide us with information that is not available from any other source.  What was it like for an ordinary soldier in the field?  What was it like for someone at home?  The personal journals of these people give us some clues.