SJSU Research Guides: Military History &amp; Science: Civil War

Featured Photo

Frederick Munday, 44th New York Infantry

Burdick Military History Project

The Burdick Military History Project maintains a study room and book collection on the SJSU campus for use by students and other researchers. The center is located in Industrial Studies room 239. For more information, please contact:

Professor Jonathan Roth

Office: Business Tower (BT) 561

Email: jonathan.roth@sjsu.edu

Phone: 408-924-5505

PRINT RESOURCES

Listed below are some of the most useful general print resources for research on the American Civil War.

* A COMPENDIUM OF THE WAR OF THE REBELLION, by Frederick H. Dyer. This two volume set is still the best single source for information on every regiment which served on the Union side of the Civil War, but also contains a great deal of other information on specific battles, a chronology, etc. Very useful for background information. (E491 .D99 1979x King Folio, 8th Floor)

* MILITARY BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE CIVIL WAR, by C. E. Dornbusch. This multi-volume set, published by the New York Public Library, is the most complete bibliography of Civil War books in print. It includes materials on specific military units, North and South, as well as books on all aspects of the battles and other operations of the war. This is an excellent place to locate the "classic" works on any given aspect of the Civil War. (Z1242 .D612 King 8th Floor)

* THE WAR OF THE REBELLION: A COMPILATION OF THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE ARMIES. Compiled by the Government immediately after the war, this 70 volume set contains orders, letters, reports and first-hand accounts of the entire Civil War. It is perhaps the best and most detailed single source on that war ever assembled, and is an excellent resource in terms of primary source information. (King Reference E464 .U6 2nd. floor)

* OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE NAVIES IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION. This is a thirty volume set contains orders, letters, official communications and detailed first-hand account of Naval actions on both sides of the Civil War. An excellent source of primary source material. (E591 .U58 King 6th Floor)

DATABASES & WEB RESOURCES

American Civil War: Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new window
Diaries, letters, memoirs, bibliography & other primary source material about the Civil War

Civil War Soldiers & Sailors System
This website, created by the National Park Service and the National Archives, provides information on individual soldiers and sailors, unit histories and battles from the Civil War era. Servicemen can be searched by name, giving basic information on when they enlisted, what unit they served in and their rank. This is the most complete listing of Civil War veterans available anywhere.
Valley of the Shadow
This wonderful website details life in two communities, one Union and one Confederate, from John Brown's Raid through the Reconstruction era. Through it you may explore thousands of original letters, diaries, newspapers, census reports, etc., from the inhabitants of Augusta County, VA, and Franklin County, PA.. Also contains records on slavery and the Freedmen's Bureau.
Civil War Troop Rosters
This website offers an extensive list of Civil War rosters and muster rolls that have been published on the internet. Included are lists of pensioners, veterans, unit muster records and other records, all searchable by state.
California and the Civil War
This website details the history of the Golden State in the Civil War, the units formed in the state, military posts, personalities involved, and a great deal of other information.
Online Military Indexes & Records
This is an excellent guide to online resources regarding individual soldiers from the American Revolution through the vietnam War. It is particularly useful for genealogical research.
U.S. Civil War Regimental Histories in the Library of Congress
This webpage is a finding guide to all the Civil War regimental histories contained in the Library of Congress, both published and in manuscript form.