1. Primary Sources of the Civil War
Mr. Chadwick

2. The Battle of Antietam—Confederate Campsite
Author: Photographer unknown, but this picture was included in an edited version of The Maryland Campaign of September 1862: Ezra A. Carman’s Definitive Study of the Union and Confederate Armies at Antietam, Edited by Joseph Pierro; Carman’s study was penned in the 19th century and is a primary source document in itself: a comprehensive research document compiled using other primary source documents on the matter as well as his own wartime experiences.
Place and Time: Confederate camp on the fields of Antietam; picture was taken before the battle
Reason: Carman’s study was initiated in the late 19th century in order to give a comprehensive guide on the Civil War to those at the time and, he hoped, historians in the future. (The book details, essentially, the whole war, and is exceptionally comprehensive according to reviews by acclaimed historians.)
The Battle of Antietam—Confederate Campsite

3. The Battle of Antietam—Elk Mountain Signal Tower
Place and Time: This is a picture of the Elk Mountain, MD signal tower overlooking Antietam battlefield, taken before the battle.
Reason: The reason for taking this picture was for documentation of the war and its battles as much as it was for journalistic and informative purposes.
Audience: Citizens, both Confederate and Union.

4. The Emancipation Proclamation (First Page)
Time and Place: President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of bloody civil war.
Main Idea: The proclamation declared “that all persons held as slaves” within the rebellious states “are, and henceforward shall be free.”
Significance: Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation, it captured the hearts and imagination of millions of Americans and fundamentally transformed the character of the war. After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops expanded the domain of freedom. Moreover, the Proclamation announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy, enabling the liberated to become liberators. By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom. From the first days of the Civil War, slaves had acted to secure their own liberty. The Emancipation Proclamation confirmed their insistence that the war for the Union must become a war for freedom. It added moral force to the Union cause and strengthened the Union both militarily and politically.

5. The Emancipation Proclamation (Final Page and Seal)
Author: President Abraham Lincoln
Audience: The citizens of the Union and the Confederacy, including, if not especially, slaves and blacks.
Significance: As a milestone along the road to slavery’s final destruction, the Emancipation Proclamation has assumed a place among the great documents of human freedom. The original of the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, is in the National Archives in Washington, DC. With the text covering five pages the document was originally tied with narrow red and blue ribbons, which were attached to the signature page by a wafered impression of the seal of the United States. Most of the ribbon remains; parts of the seal are still decipherable, but other parts have worn off.

6. Author: President Abraham Lincoln
Place and Time: On November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Reason: Lincoln had been invited to give a "few appropriate remarks" during a ceremony to dedicate a cemetery for Union soldiers killed at the Battle of Gettysburg.
Gettysburg –“Lincoln’s Address at the Dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery”

7. Gettysburg—The Gettysburg Address
Audience: The cemetery-goers that attended the dedications.
Main Idea: “Though we are in a war, we shall remain strong as the Union. We are here to dedicate and commemorate the lives of those who have fought and died here.”
Significance: Despite its brevity and the fact that it earned little attention at the time, the Gettysburg Address is considered one of Lincoln's greatest speeches.

8. Chickamauga Audience: Citizens of the Confederacy and the Union alike.
Reason: To inform on the layout of the battle, and this particular regiment (believed to be the 36th Indiana regiment, under the command of General Wilder).
Main Idea: The Union soldiers are in the fore- and middlegrounds of the painting. They are shooting at the gray- and-butterscotch-clad Confederates, rebel flag flying, in the background.

9. Chickamauga (cont.) Fun fact: General Andrew Jackson was an ardent Unionist but had several relations give their lives for the “Southern Cause.” It was Jackson who, during Thomas Jefferson’s birthday celebration on April 20, 1830, stared John C. Calhoun squarely in the eyes and gave the resounding toast, “OUR UNION: IT MUST BE PRESERVED!” Although born in South Carolina, and a Tennessee emigrant, Jackson was willing to lay down his life and the lives of United States soldiers in order to keep the Union together. His adopted grandson (grandnephew in reality) and grandnephew gave their lives for the South at the Battle of Chickamauga.
Place and Time: This painting was done in a small Southern studio by two men, who painted the above scene a few months after the battle.
Reason: To inform people about the layout of the battle, and no doubt to make some money selling the incredibly detailed print.
Significance: The Army of Tennessee would lose four brigade commanders in the Battle of Chickamauga: Brigadier Generals Preston Smith, Ben Helm, and James Deshler, along with Colonel Peyton Colquitt. Today four stacks of cannon balls mark the locations of where they fell.

10. Union Blockade of Georgia’s Coast—Scott’s Great Snake
Author: Though the author of this political cartoon is unknown, there are many unclaimed cartoons with a similar style; though there is debate about who this artist may be, they are all generally believed to be drawn by the same elusive cartoonist.
Place and Time: The cartoon was published in an Alabama newspaper in May of 1862.
Main Idea: This is a cartoonist’s interpretation of General Winfield Scott’s “Anaconda Plan” to strangle the Confederacy by cutting off their means of trade with other countries—their main source of revenue—and to divide the Confederacy by capturing the Mississippi River. The blockade of the coast was a large part of this plan, as depicted in the cartoon.
Union Blockade of Georgia’s Coast—Scott’s Great Snake

11. Union Blockade of Georgia’s Coast—Fox Hunting
Place and Time: In early April of 1865, the Confederate blockade runner Fox was told to be running through the Union fleet in broad daylight. The above picture was published along with an account of the event in the Galveston Daily News.
Main Idea: The account was a dramatic and compelling story, written in dense and somewhat florid prose, but also apparently slanted, emphasizing the heroics of the runner’s crew and the dangers through which they passed.
Reason: The telling of the Fox hunt was designed to raise Confederate spirits and patriotism, while giving them a bit of an “in- your-face” moment toward the Union (one of many where blockade runners are concerned).

12. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign
Photographer (Author): Portrait done by Mathew Brady, (born c. 1823, near Lake George, New York—died Jan. 15, 1896, New York, N.Y.) U.S. photographer.
Main Idea: In the spring of 1864, Sherman, who commanded the Union armies of the Cumberland, the Tennessee and the Ohio, began a spectacular drive against the armies of General Joseph E. Johnston that ended with the Union occupation of Atlanta.
Significance: Sherman ordered the city evacuated and razed, part of his strategy to economically cripple and psychologically intimidate the rebels.

13. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign (cont.)
Quote: “War is the remedy our enemies have chosen, and I say give them all they want.” ~General William Tecumseh Sherman
Place and Time: On September 2, Atlanta was captured by Sherman’s Army. “Atlanta is ours, and fairly won,” Sherman telegraphed Lincoln.
Significance: Among other things, such as the fact that this successful campaign led to Sherman’s March to the Sea, the victory greatly helped President Lincoln’s bid for re- election.

14. Sherman’s March to the Sea—Course Map
Author: Sherman and his men composed this map of his march prior to executing the long string of battles and takeovers.
Reason: This map, quite obviously, was never intended to be disclosed outside of the Union soldiers, lest the Confederates get wind of it and better prepare themselves. This map helped organize and plan out in great detail exactly how the march would happen.
Significance: Sherman presented Lincoln with Savannah, Georgia in what he called a ‘Christmas gift’. He struck in the heart of the Confederacy. His victories along with those of the other Union commanders were the beginning of the end for the Confederacy.
Link: e/hargrett/maps/1864p64.jpg (To see the picture in higher detail)

15. Sherman’s March to the Sea (cont.)
Main Idea/Place and Time: After the Atlanta campaign he began his March to the Sea, a property-destroying drive that began in November and ended with the occupation of Savannah on December 21 (his “Christmas present” to President Lincoln). Sherman then marched up through the Carolinas and received Johnston’s surrender in North Carolina on April 26, 1865, just after Robert E. Lee surrendered to U. S. Grant at Appomattox (April 9).
Prior Knowledge: His policy of expanding warfare beyond the battlefield and into the civilian infrastructure, called “total warfare” and “scorched earth” strategies, has led to him being known as one of the fathers of modern warfare. He is considered by some to be one of the Civil War’s greatest heroes, but residents of the American southeast, especially Georgia, pretty much still hate him.

16. Andersonville—War Journal
The Andersonville Prison Diary of Alfred H. Voorhees, Co. H, 1st N.Y. Cavalry. The material that follows is a transcription of the original Alfred Voorhees Diary, done by his sister, Rebecca. PRIVATE May th The morning is fine. Was counted for Rations. Received 4 oz. of meat, Some Rice and salt and under close guard. Camped in a Valley, a stream of water Running through the Camp. The Officer in command is a fine Man. Had a little Shower. Some of the 3rd New Jersey came to day. Some of the Boys are still behind. Think we will be sent to Danville. I am in good Spirits. Hope to keep so. Wrote home this morning. The remainder of the boys came in today. 19th Day warm - and 950 came in today are all Encamped on Flannery Island. Plenty of lice but not Much grub, but cant complain so far. Feel quite well to day. Hope to Remain so as long as I am here. Some of the boys that came to day look very bad. Have no shelter. Lay on the ground without covering. It is so bad. 23rd I am very sick. 25th Arrived at Andersonville to day, the place of our destination. See quite a number of My Regt. here, a hard place it is too, the boys ruff, all kinds of Huts and Shanties. Some have been here 8 Months. Feel a good deal better to day, a close place, 18,000 Men on 10 acres. 27th This is one of the hotest southren days. The officer of the day came in for Sewerage and Tunnels, found 6 near done for. Was transferd from 61 to 12 date, feel quite well and in fine spirits. We hear nothing here. Rebs had quite a scare today; had troops under arms and in line of Battle all day, cant see why they need be so affraid of us, we have no arms. 28th Warm and fine. Some of Shermans Men came to camp, a great many die from Exposure. Some hard looking objects. Nothing of any importance to write every day the same. Oh! that we soon May be Relieved from this dreadful Prison and Returned to our homes. Have a great distress in My head today (George is well). 29th Warm and fine. More Prisners arrived to day, the Prison is crowded full. Dont know What they will do with any More. How different from Home and Sabbath comeforts, all we can see is filth and dirt. All combined Makes it a hard lingering place. Some die, poor fellows from 30 to 40 per day. Hope I will live through this and see home once more. Feel very well to day with the Exception of a slight cold. 30th This is Hell on Earth to day and Yesterday. More Yanks came in today so thick one can Scarcely Walk. A number of the boys go out to work on the Stockade to enlarge the Prison. Dont feel Well to day. Some talk of a Parole Soon. Cant feed us With proper food. Oh, that We may soon be Relieved. But we must wait, hoping We will not get sick.

17. Andersonville—War Journal (Explanation)
Author: Alfred H. Voorhees enlisted in the 1st NY Cavalry (the “Lincoln Cavalry”) on Aug. 5, He was captured in May of 1864 and was incarcerated in Andersonville Prison. He died of disease on Aug. 13, Place and Time: Voorhees wrote the original copy of this journal while in Andersonville Prison from August 5th, 1861 to August 13th, 1864 Reason: Voorhees kept this journal for his “own sanity as much as anything else,” and also to inform his family.

18. Andersonville Prison—Map
Place and Time: This map of Andersonville Prison was penned by one of the records-masters around the time that the prison reached its peak number of inmates.
Reason: This map was composed for documentary purposes only at the time, and so the guards could coordinate their small shifts.
Prior Knowledge: A small stream ran through the prison; it was thought that it would furnish water sufficient for drinking and for bathing. The trees within the stockade were cut down and no shelter was provided for the expected inmates, who began to arrive in February, 1864 before the rude prison was completed according to the design and before an adequate supply of bacon for their use had been received. Prisoners continued to come until on the 5th of May there were about 12,000 which number went on increasing until in August it exceeded 32,000: their condition was one of extreme wretchedness. Those who came first erected rude shelters from the debris of the stockade; later arrivals burrowed in the ground or protected themselves with any blankets or pieces of cloth of which they had not been deprived according to the practice of robbing men who were taken prisoners, which prevailed on both sides.