Preserving History with Scholarly Precision
Our historians are dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history of the American Civil War through careful research, original documents, and the voices of those who lived through the conflict. By examining military campaigns, political events, personal correspondence, newspapers, and official records, we strive to present the war in all of its complexity.
We believe the American Civil War deserves to be understood through evidence rather than assumption, and through scholarship rather than ideology. Our mission is to make this history accessible, engaging, and faithfully documented for students, educators, researchers, and the general public.
The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies—commonly known as the Official Records or OR—are the single largest collection of primary source documents from the American Civil War. Spanning 128 volumes and more than 138,000 printed pages, they preserve military reports, correspondence, orders, telegrams, maps, and official communications from both Union and Confederate authorities. Together with the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies, these remarkable collections form the documentary foundation of our research and educational resources.
At the National Civil War Institute, we are committed to making these invaluable records more accessible to students, educators, researchers, and the general public. In addition to the complete Army and Navy Official Records, we are currently working to bring the 100-volume Supplement to the Official Records to our growing digital library, expanding access to thousands of additional letters, reports, diaries, and previously unpublished documents that continue to deepen our understanding of the American Civil War.
Beyond the published Official Records, the National Civil War Institute is committed to bringing additional unpublished and lesser-known primary sources to the public. Working with archival collections, manuscript repositories, historical societies, and private collections, we seek to uncover letters, diaries, reports, maps, newspapers, photographs, and official documents that have remained difficult to access for generations.
Our long-term goal is to preserve and share these remarkable records from both the Union and the Confederacy, making them freely available whenever possible so that students, educators, researchers, and history enthusiasts can continue to deepen their understanding of the American Civil War through the voices of those who experienced it firsthand.
Every newly discovered document adds another piece to the historical record, helping to ensure that the story of the American Civil War is preserved as completely and accurately as possible for future generations.
The American Civil War has inspired thousands of books over the past century and a half. Our recommended reading library highlights some of the finest works available—from classic narratives and scholarly studies to memoirs, biographies, campaign histories, and primary source collections. Whether you are beginning your journey or conducting advanced research, these carefully selected titles provide a strong foundation for understanding America's defining conflict.
The study of the American Civil War extends far beyond books. Our Digital Resource Library features a carefully curated collection of websites, documentaries, lectures, podcasts, video series, online museums, battlefield organizations, and educational platforms that bring the history of the war to life. Whether you are beginning your study or conducting advanced research, these trusted resources provide engaging and accessible ways to explore America's defining conflict.
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