The American Civil War (1861–1865), also known as the War Between the States (among other names), was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America, also known as “the Confederacy.” Led by Jefferson Davis, the Confederacy fought against the United States (the Union), which was supported by all twenty free states (where slavery had been abolished) and by five slave states that became known as the border states.

In the presidential election of 1860, the Republican Party, led by Abraham Lincoln, had campaigned against the expansion of slavery beyond the states in which it already existed. In response to the Republican victory in that election, seven states declared their secession from the Union before Lincoln took office on March 4, 1861. Both the outgoing administration of President James Buchanan and Lincoln’s incoming administration rejected the legality of secession, considering it rebellion. Several other slave states rejected calls for secession at this point.

Hostilities began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces attacked a U.S. military installation at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Lincoln responded by calling for a volunteer army from each state to recapture federal property. This led to declarations of secession by four more slave states. Both sides raised armies as the Union assumed control of the border states early in the war and established a naval blockade. In September 1862, Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation made ending slavery in the South a war goal, and dissuaded the British from intervening.

American Civil War Date April 12, 1861 – April 9, 1865 (last shot ended June 1865) Location Southern United States and Northern battle sites including Antietam and Gettysburg Result Union victory   Territorial integrity of the United States of America preserved Reconstruction Slavery abolished Belligerents United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders and leaders Abraham Lincoln Winfield Scott George B. McClellan Henry Wager Halleck Ulysses S. Grant Gideon Welles   and others Jefferson Davis P.G.T. Beauregard Joseph E. Johnston Robert E. Lee Stephen Mallory   and others Strength 2,100,000 1,064,000 Casualties and losses 110,000 killed in action 360,000 total dead 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action 260,000 total dead 137,000+ wounded

History

The American Civil War Homepage This site contains information about both the Union and the Confederacy, with links on such topics as battles, regiments, the secession crisis, and Civil War reenactors.

Built in America: Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record 1933 – Present Several Alexandria properties are included in this collection, which can be searched by keyword and is also indexed by subject and location. Part of the American Memory project.

CivilWar@Smithsonian A web resource showcasing materials from the Smithsonian Institution’s collections that relate to the Civil War. Includes digital images of photographs, postcards, letters, clothing, weapons and other artifacts.

Civil War Maps CollectionThis exhibit, part of the Library of Congress’s American Memory project, lets you search for maps by keyword or browse by location, subject, creator or title. Once you select a map, you can zoom in to see a high level of detail.

Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Find out about archaeological discoveries, take a virtual field trip, or plan your visit to Colonial Williamsburg.

Documenting the American South: The Southern Homefront, 1861-1865This project, created by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Libraries, uses primary sources to fill in the details about non-military life in the South during the Civil War.

Early Virginia Religious PetitionsA joint project of the Library of Congress and the Library of Virginia, this exhibit lets you view digital reproductions of original documents relating to religious history in Virginia.

Freedmens’ CemeteryA site devoted to the post-Civil War African-American burial ground in Alexandria. Useful resources include information about individuals originially buried in the cemetery and a list of free blacks in Alexandria before the Civil War.

George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress Includes letters, diaries, account books and military records which cover the years 1741-1799.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Information about visiting Mount Vernon, along with historical details about Washington’s life there.

Historical Newspaper Index This searchable index, created by the Fairfax County Public Library’s Virginia Room, includes selected years of the Fairfax Herald, the Alexandria Gazette, and the Washington Star, among other papers.

The History Channel The official web site, including a “Today in History” feature, resources for teachers, and exhibits on historical topics.

The Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities in the American Civil WarThis project, created by the University of Virginia, provides primary source materials to tell the stories of one Northern and one Southern community.

The Virginia Civil War Home Page Contains information about battles, people, pensions and other information. With links to similar sites for other states.

Oral History Summaries

Oral Histories are indexed by name, neighborhood and subject.

• Name Index
• Neighborhood Index
• Subject Index