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Emancipation Day parade participants in Corpus Christi on June 19, 1913. Note the woman standing in the buggy behind the closest one. Courtesy DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University

Juneteenth and the Civil War: The Long Road from Emancipation to Freedom

Juneteenth and the Civil War: The Long Road from Emancipation to Freedom Every year on June 19, Americans commemorate Juneteenth, a holiday that marks one of the most…

CDV of Medical Staff at Baton Rouge in 1863.

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…

Descriptive Roll 4th NJ Infantry for companies A-E.

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).

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…

Photograph of the time capsule's contents. Notice the extremely damaged document in the upper left. That is the one that crumbled into confetti as the governor removed it. Also notice the book with black mold directly below it. Image from CBS News.

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 …

Robert H. King’s valentine for Louiza. Courtesy of the Library of Virginia.

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…

Illustration of New Year's Day by Thomas Nast for the January 1864 Harper's Weekly issue.

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 was a difficult time for both soldiers and civilians as they were often separated from their loved ones during the time of year that is often represented by families spending time together. The one thing that the vast majority of them could not do during the war. "Christmas Eve," Harper's Weekly, January 3, 1863.

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…

This painting depicts a rather subdued version of events of the West Point Eggnog Riot.

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 …

Image from Harper's Weekly depicting President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1864. The proclamation was issued on October 3, 1863, making the Thanksgiving of 1863 the first official national celebration of the holiday.

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 …

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