Research Arsenal Spotlight 63: Thomas Griffith 116th New York Infantry
Thomas Griffith was born in 1846 to William and Clarinda Griffith of Gowanda, New York. He was very young when he enlisted in August, 1862, around the age of 15 or 16 years…
Understanding National Archives Records Group 94: A Treasure Trove for Civil War Research
What is Records Group 94? Over the past year or so, the Research Arsenal has been digitizing regimental books from Records Group 94 at the National Archives and adding them…
![Daisies gathered for Decoration Day, May 30, 1899. Frances Benjamin Johnston, 1899. (Johnston [Frances Benjamin] Collection, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress).](/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Daisies-for-Decoration-Day-1899.jpg)
From Decoration Day to Memorial Day: The Origins of America’s Day of Remembrance
From Decoration Day to Memorial Day: The Origins of America’s Day of Remembrance Today, Memorial Day is recognized as the nation’s annual day to honor military personnel who d…
The Angry Archivist: Opening a Pandora’s Box of Archival Problems
The Angry Archivist: Opening a Pandora’s Box of Archival Problems The Angry Archivist hasn’t had too much to be angry about lately, but a recent Colorado unboxing video …
Valentine’s Day During the Civil War
Hearts in the Midst of Battle: Valentine’s Day During the Civil War There’s a powerful image that lingers in many American minds each February: couples holding hands, whi…
New Year’s During the Civil War
“Another Year in the War”: New Year’s During the Civil War As the calendar turned during the Civil War, Americans greeted the New Year not with champagne and fireworks, but wi…
Christmas During the Civil War: Voices from the Front and Home
Christmas During the Civil War: Voices from the Front and Home The Civil War did not pause for the holidays, yet Christmas still came. For soldiers and families separated by…
The Great West Point Eggnog Riot of 1826
The Great West Point Eggnog Riot of 1826 The night of December 24–25, 1826, at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, was anything but silent. What began …
Thanksgiving: A Civil War Call For Unity
Thanksgiving: A Civil War Call For Unity As Americans prepare each year for a festive Thanksgiving dinner, it’s worth remembering how deeply the holiday’s modern identity was …
The Battle of Antietam: First-Hand Accounts
The Battle of Antietam: First-Hand Accounts On a foggy morning of September 17, 1862, the fields around Sharpsburg, Maryland, were transformed into the single bloodiest day…
