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Here you can see the file name format used by the Research Arsenal and how multiple scans of the same document are given parenthetical numbers.

How to Scan Your Collection

How to Scan Your Collection This is only a basic guide on how to scan your collection. For this purpose, I’m focusing on documents and photographs. Things like maps, glass n…

Petersburg fortifications like the ones shown here were once manned by soldiers of the 21st South Carolina Infantry including Robert Alexander Garner.

Research Arsenal Spotlight 17: Robert Alexander Garner of the 21st South Carolina Infantry

Our focus this week is on a collection of 14 documents related to Robert Alexander Garner of the 21st South Carolina Infantry. Robert Alexander Garner was born in 1843 to…

The Scanners to Digitize Your Collection

The Scanners to Digitize Your Collection Last week we discussed in some basic detail the advantages of having a digitized copy of your collection available. This week, I want…

Scenes of New Bern, North Carolina where the 23rd Massachusetts Infantry was stationed.

Research Arsenal Spotlight 16: Andrew Jackson Clark of the 23rd Massachusetts Infantry

Andrew Jackson Clark was born in 1837 to Melzar Wentworth Clark and Sabina Hobart (Lincoln) Clark of Hingham, Massachusetts. Before the Civil War, Andrew Jackson Clark worked…

Why Digitize Your Collection

One of the things I’ve written about in previous posts is the importance of digitizing your collection. Whether it’s a photograph collection, or document collection, it’s impo…

Civil War era Newspaper Vender and cart at Culpeper, Virginia in 1863.

Research Arsenal Spotlight 15: David Walker Beatty of the 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry

This week we’re going to focus on a collection of 48 letters written by Private David Walker Beatty of Company K, 63rd Pennsylvania Infantry. David Walker Beatty was born 1…

CDV Photograph of Frank, Frederick, and Alice, “The Children of the Battlefield” Carte-de-visite (CDV) photograph of Frank, Frederick, and Alice, the children of Amos Humiston of the 154th New York Infantry. Humiston was killed at the Battle of Gettysburg, but his identity was at first unknown. An original ambrotype of his three children – eventually copied to produce this CDV - was found clutched in his hand. The ambrotype came into the possession of Dr. J. Francis Bournes of Philadelphia, who traveled to Gettysburg to help tend to the wounded after the battle. Bournes vowed to identify the soldier and return his image to the family. Newspapers soon printed a description of the subjects in the hopes of someone could connect them to the fallen soldier. It worked. Bourne would later work with local photographers in Philadelphia to produce copies of the Humiston ambrotype for the benefit of a home for orphaned children of the battlefield in Gettysburg.

The Humanity of the Battle of Gettysburg in Primary Sources

The Humanity of the Battle of Gettysburg in Primary Sources As a professional or amateur researcher, the best information you can find about a historical topic will come from…

Research Arsenal Spotlight 14: Alfred Homer Johnson of the 30th Georgia Infantry

This week our spotlight is on a collection of five letters related to Alfred Homer Johnson who served as a private in Company F of the 30th Georgia Infantry. Alfred Homer…

A "Wunderkammer" or Cabinet of Curiosities was the first form of a museum that became popular in 16th Century Europe. They were characterized by room crammed full of cool stuff. This is not a good model for exhibiting your collections.

3 Simple Tips for Displaying Your Collection

3 Simple Tips for Displaying Your Collection One of the highlights of owning a nice collection (or even a beginner-level collection) of Civil War memorabilia is displaying…

Research Arsenal Spotlight 13: 25th Ohio Infantry Photo Album

This week, we’re taking a look at a photo album of members of the 25th Ohio Infantry. The album contains fifteen cartes de visite (CDVs) of men in the regiment and most of t…

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