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The American Civil War:
A List of Essential Reference Works

General References Bibliographies Special Publications Other Key Sources

This list covers most of the essential reference books for the American Civil War. This short guide is designed for researchers and genealogists to lead them to sources of history as well as to books, publications, and manuscript collections located in other libraries and repositories. Call numbers are given for materials available at the University of West Florida libraries. I am grateful to Michael Parrish for providing the basis of this list from a similar genealogical talk that he gave in Austin. (Dean DeBolt, Special Collections Librarian, John C. Pace Library, University of West Florida)

General References

These materials are overview histories of the War, dictionaries of terms and people, guides to archival collections, and general guides to Civil War genealogy.

Beers, Henry Putney. Guide to the Archives of the Government of the Confederate States of America. Washington: National Archives, 1968. (UWF Bookstacks CD 3407 .B4)

Boatner, Mark Mayo, III. The Civil War Dictionary, Revised Edition. New York: David McKay Company, Inc., 1988. (UWF Reference E 468 .B7 1988)

Bowman, John S. The Civil War Day by Day. N.Y.: Dorset Press, 1989. (UWF Bookstacks Oversize E 468.3 .C48 1989)

Faust, Patricia L., ed. Historical Times Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Civil War. New York: Harper & Row, 1986. (UWF Reference E 468 .H57 1986

Greene, Bertram Hawthorne. Tracing Your Civil War Ancestor. Winston-Salem, N.C.: J. F. Blair, 1973. (UWF Bookstacks CD 3047 .G76)

McPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. (UWF Bookstacks E 173 .O94 v.6)

McPherson, James M. Ordeal by Fire: The Civil War and Reconstruction. New York: Knopf, 1982. (UWF Bookstacks E 468 .M23)

Munden, Kenneth White, and Henry P. Beers. Guide to the Federal Archives Relating to the Civil War. Washington: 1962. (UWF Bookstacks CD 3047 .M8)

Neagles, James C. Confederate Research Sources: A Guide to Archive Collections. Salt Lake City: Ancestry Publishing, 1986. (UWF Special Collections E 487 .N4 1986)

Schweitzer, George K. Civil War Genealogy. Knoxville, TN: By the Author, 1981. (UWF Special Collections, Office Copy).

Segars, J. H. In Search of Confederate Ancestors: The Guide. Murfreesboro, TN: Southern Heritage Press, Box 1615, Murfreesboro, TN 37133. .

Sellers, John R. Civil War Manuscripts: A Guide to Collections in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress. Washington: 1986. (UWF Special Collections E 468 L46 1986)

Bibliographies

Bibliographies are compiled lists of books and publications such as published biographies of people who served in the War and described their experiences, published books and journal articles, military and regimental histories of specific units, and related items.

Cole, Gerald L. Civil War Eyewitnesses: An Annotated Bibliography of Books and Articles, 1955-1986. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 1988. (UWF Bookstacks E 601 .C64 1988)

Coulter, E. Merton. Travels in the Confederacy: A Bibliography. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1948. (UWF Reference Z 1251 .S7 C68)

Dornbusch, Charles E. Regimental Publications and Personal Narratives of the Civil War, A Checklist. New York: New York Public Library, 1961-1972. Volume 1 (in 7 parts) covers Northern States; Volume 2 covers Southern, Border, Western States and Territories, Federal Troops, Union and Confederate Biographies. Has been reprinted as a "4 vols" set with the title "Military Bibliography of the War". (UWF Bookstacks Z 1242 .D6)

Moebs, Thomas Truxton. Confederate States Navy Research Guide: Confederate Naval Imprints...Chronology of Naval Operation and Administration; Marine Corps and Naval Officer Biographies; Description and Service of Vessels; Subject Bibliography. Williamsburg, VA: Moebs Pub. Co., 1991.

Murdock, Eugene C. The Civil War in the North: A Selective Annotated Bibliography. New York: Garland Publishing Company, 1987. (UWF Bookstacks E 468 .M87 1987)

Nevins, Allan. Civil War Books: A Critical Bibliography. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1967. (UWF Reference Z 1242 .N35)

Parrish, T. Michael and Robert M. Willingham, Sr. Confederate Imprints: A Bibliography of Southern Publications from Secession to Surrender. Austin, TX: Jenkins and Foster, 1987. (UWF Reference Z 1242.5 .P37 1987)

Wright, John H. Compendium of the Confederacy: An Annotated Bibliography. Books, Pamphlets, Serials. 2 vols. Wendell, NC: Broadfoot, 1989. (UWF Reference E 487 .W75 1989)

Special Publications

Amann, William Frayne, ed. Personnel of the Civil War. 2 v. New York: Yoseloff, 1961. Vol. 1 - Confederate Armies; Vol. 2 - Union Armies. (UWF Bookstacks E 494 .A5)

Cunningham, Sumner A., ed. Confederate Veteran Magazine. 40 volumes. Nashville, TN: 1893-1932. With 3-volume Index (1984). (UWF Periodicals E 482 .C74 and E 482 .C74 Index)

Dyer, Frederick Henry. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. 3 vols. New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1959. (UWF Reference C 491 .D99 1959)

Evans, Clement A., ed. Confederate Military History. 12 vols. Atlanta, 1899. Reprint edition of 17 volumes and 2-vol. index. Wilmington, NC: Broadfoot, 1987-1989. (UWF Bookstacks E 545 .C64 1987)

Jones, J. William, et.al., eds. Southern Historical Society Papers. 52 vols. and 2 vol. index. 1876-1904. (UWF Microfilms 484A, reels 309-313). UWF has volumes 1-33.

Meredith, Lee W. Civil War Times and Civil War Times Illustrated 30 Year Comprehensive Index; and Guide to Civil War Periodicals. Twentynine Palms, CA: By the Author, 1990 and 1991. (Special Collections E 461 .C562)

U.S. War Dept. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. 127 vols. and index. Washington: 1880-1901. UWF Bookstacks E 464 U6 (Reprint) (UWF Special Collections E 464 U6) (Orig.ed.) Copies of index are located in Special Collections and Reference

U. S. War Dept. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. 30 vols. Washington: 1894-1922. With index. (UWF Special Collections E 591 .U58)

Other Key Sources

National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections. UWF Reference Z 6620 .U5 N3

Available online at http://lcweb.loc.gov/coll/nucmc: select RLIN AMC File Easy Search Form.

Scholarly journals such as America History and Life; Writings on American History; Civil War History; Journal of Southern History; and Journal of American History.

The United States Civil War Center
http://www.cwc.lsu.edu

Located at Louisiana State University, the Center's site provides links, information, and more. See especially the U.S. Civil War FAQ (v. 6.01; May 1998)

For research assistance concerning Civil War topics, and especially on Civil War research and archival sources for West Florida, Pensacola, and the Gulf Coast, please contact the Special Collections Department, John C. Pace Library, University of West Florida, 11000 University Parkway, Pensacola, FL 32514-5750. Telephone: 850-474-2213.

Dean DeBolt
University of West Florida Library
Links Last Revised: December 26, 2001