INTRODUCTION Far too many words have been written about the Civil War era to warrant a prolonged introduction. This bibliography itself stands as a monument to the countless hours devoted to study and analysis of our great American epic. Still, a few comments may expedite the work of future patrons who seek to utilize the Civil War holdings of the Military History Research Collection. - Note #1 Interests of economy have dictated brevity for the individual entries and may often displease the purist seeking finite information of some type. Note #2 Patrons are referred to other special bibliographies in the MHRC series such as those concerned with Unit Histories, Negroes and the U.S. Army, the Mexican War, and Manuscript holdings. Note #3 - Patrons may wish to consult the so-called Pamphlet holdings of the Collection which house numerous clippings, pamphlets and other items too small to warrant specific notation herein. Note #4 Page totals for published works have been omitted in the interest of economy. Manuscript Holdings on the Civil War by Richard J. Sommers The Civil War is one of the best represented subjects in the manuscript holdings of the Military History Research Collection. Over three hundred entries are included in the Archives of the institution. Such material has been and will be described in detail in other volumes published in this Special Bibliographic Series. For now this bibliographic essay will summarize the general nature of the manuscript collection and highlight its strong points. Some 337 entries on the Civil War and Reconstruction have been catalogued so far. Of these, 256 come from Northern forces; 67 represent the Confederacy; and 14 address themselves equally to both sides. holdings, moreover, contain several distinct bodies of material, thus raising the totals to 281 Union, 67 Southern, and 18 general groups of papers for an aggregate of 366. Personal papers predominate among these holdings. Letters are especially well represented, and a significant number of diaries and memoirs are also on hand. Official manuscripts are much less numerous, but some retained copies of official correspondence, reports, and orders as well as commissions, discharge papers, and compiled service records are on file. The following table indicates the distribution of holdings among various categories of papers. (Only one entry is, of course, made for any given class of material per individual, even though several diaries or numerous letters may be available for him in that class. because some individuals are represented by more than one class both diaries and letters the statistical totals will exceed 366): But say, ORGANIZATION BY THEATER These papers cover every theater of tne war. The Eastern and Western theaters are especially well represented, but other areas, too, are included: the Trans-Mississippi, the Far West, the coasts, the high seas, and the interior of the Union and the Confederacy. A few definitions of terms here will help distinguish among these categories. The "Trans-Mississippi" is regarded as Missouri, Arkansas, West Louisiana, Texas, Indian Territory, and eastern Kansas, whereas the other regions west of the Mississippi are called the "Far West." Secondly, naval operations against the Confederate shore are listed along with pertinent Army entries under the appropriate coastal categories, while offensive and defensive aspects of commerce raiding fall under the heading "High Seas." Material on the "interior" of the two countries concerns military duty away from any of the fronts plus political, economic, or social aspects of civil life during wartime. A cavalry raid that penetrated far into enemy territory, however, would not be listed under the interior but under the theater in which the horseman's parent army operated. Multiple listings are made, on the other hand, for operations by and against the Army of the Gulf in Texas and West Louisiana. They occurred within the Trans-Mississippi region but originated in Northern footholds along the Gulf coast and so are cross-referenced under both headings. And, of course, when a soldier's unit transferred from one theater to another, he is listed in each area for which his papers are available. Again, such numerous entries for a given person cause the total to exceed 366. The table below discloses the concentration of papers in these various areas: ORGANIZATION BY UNIT Paralleling the breadth of holdings on areas is the distribution of papers among units. Some 374 bodies of material representing 323 regiments, independent battalions, or independent companies are available for Yankee outfits. Every unseceded state save Nevada and Oregon is represented; so are two Bluecoated units from Confederate territory: the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment and the 6th Mississippi Infantry Regiment (African Descent). Concerning the Federal establishment itself, manuscripts are on hand for the U.S. Regulars, U.S. Veteran Volunteers, U.S. Veteran Reserve Corps, and U.S. Colored Troops. Pennsylvania leads the Northern states, with 103 groups of papers, pertaining to 79 units. Other well represented states include Ohio (42 groups on 37 units), New York (35 groups on 34 units), Illinois (37 groups on 33 units), and Massachusetts (25 groups on 23 units). About one fourth as many Secessionist outfits are covered from independent company through brigade level: 83 in all. At least something is on file for every area that sent troops to the Southern Army, except Arizona, the Indian Territory, and Maryland. Most numerous are Virginia elements - 19. Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas each have 9 outfits; Mississippi, 8; and Tennessee, 7. The 2nd and 3rd Confederate Engineer Regiments represent the national establishment. The following chart indicates the Federal and Confederate units presently included in our holdings: Federal Alabama Cavalry: 1st Regiment California Cavalry: 2nd Regiment Connecticut Artillery, Heavy: 2nd Regiment Infantry: 1st, 12th, 14th, 29th Regiments Delaware Infantry: 4th Regiment |