Finding Materials for Civil War History

Letter by soldier Daniel E. Burbank dated August 11, 1861 from the Civil War Collection, 1861-1868. Catalog record

Researchers can find a variety of primary and secondary sources documenting the Civil War. The following research guide is intended to serve as a starting point for your research.

Finding Primary Sources

The General Catalog uses genre/form term. Researchers can use the following term:

 The General Catalog uses Library of Congress subject headings including: 

Manuscript collections:

If you don't find what you are looking for please email our staff at reference [at] mwa.org (reference[at]mwa[dot]org).

Digital Collections and Projects

General Sedwick at camp, stereograph, 1862. Catalog record

The following digital collections are freely available from anywhere.

Digital content has been produced for the following AAS collections

  • Letters from the Civil War Collection, 1861-1868
    Handwritten letters from Union soldiers to their families and friends at home are preserved in the Civil War Collection, 1861-1868. Official papers, memorabilia, diaries, reminiscences, ship records, and medical records are included. Catalog record
  • Civil War Tokens
    During the Civil War, booksellers coined tokens to be redeemed for goods. Tokens from Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, West Virginia, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island are included. Catalog record
"Santa Claus in Camp," from Harper's Weekly, January 3, 1863, is described in the digital collection The News Media and the Making of America.

The following digital collections are available to researchers who are present at AAS and signed on to AAS networks. Publishers provide separate tools for searching their collections.  Some feature materials not held at AAS. 

Recorded Programs

Watch past Civil War history programs most of which resulted from research completed in the AAS collection.

Fellowship Opportunities

The American Antiquarian Society awards over forty fellowships annually. Fellowships are offered for postdoctoral academics,  advanced graduate students, independent scholars, as well as for creative and performing artists and writers.