Civil War Places

Seeing the Conflict through the Eyes of Its Leading Historians

Edited by Gary W. Gallagher, J. Matthew Gallman

Photographs by Will Gallagher

216 pp., 9 x 9, 37 halftones, notes, index

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4696-4953-5
    Published: March 2019
  • E-book EPUB ISBN: 978-1-4696-4954-2
    Published: February 2019
  • E-book PDF ISBN: 979-8-8908-5584-8
    Published: February 2019

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Much has been written about place and Civil War memory, but how do we personally remember and commemorate this part of our collective past? How do battlefields and other historic places help us understand our own history? What kinds of places are worth remembering and why? In this collection of essays, some of the most esteemed historians of the Civil War select a single meaningful place related to the war and narrate its significance. Included here are meditations on a wide assortment of places--Devil's Den at Gettysburg, Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, the statue of William T. Sherman in New York's Central Park, Burnside Bridge at Antietam, the McLean House in Appomattox, and more. Paired with a contemporary photograph commissioned specifically for this book, each essay offers an unusual and accessible glimpse into how historians think about their subjects.

In addition to the editors, contributors include Edward L. Ayers, Stephen Berry, William A. Blair, David W. Blight, Peter S. Carmichael, Frances M. Clarke, Catherine Clinton, Stephen Cushman, Stephen D. Engle, Drew Gilpin Faust, Sarah E. Gardner, Judith Giesberg, Lesley J. Gordon, A. Wilson Greene, Caroline E. Janney, Jacqueline Jones, Ari Kelman, James Marten, Carol Reardon, Aaron Sheehan-Dean, Brenda E. Stevenson, Elizabeth R. Varon, and Joan Waugh.

About the Authors

Gary W. Gallagher is the John L. Nau III Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Virginia.
For more information about Gary W. Gallagher, visit the Author Page.

J. Matthew Gallman is professor of history at the University of Florida.
For more information about J. Matthew Gallman, visit the Author Page.

Will Gallagher is a commercial photographer based in Austin, Texas.
For more information about Will Gallagher, visit the Author Page.

Reviews

"Hopefully, [Civil War Places] will . . . spark increased visitation at the many lesser-known Civil War sites examined in it." —Andrew Wagenhoffer, Civil War Books and Authors

"Talk about finding the Mother Lode! . . . Augmented by evocative black-and-white photographs by Will Gallagher, this collection of deeply moving essays allows the reader to accompany each scholar on a personally guided literary tour probably impossible to replicate in the real world." —America's Civil War

“These are all thought-provoking essays that may well cause many readers to begin (or resume) visiting Civil War sites, as many Americans (such as this reader) did. . . . Civil War Places is heartily recommended to all readers who remain fascinated by that conflict.”—Journal of America’s Military Past

“Makes a significant contribution to the preservation of that sense of awe and wonderment produced by close encounters with our national history. . . . Well-informed, well-crafted, and heartfelt.”—Southwestern Historical Quarterly

“In a masterful combination of expert photography and thoughtful essays, twenty-five of the Civil War’s foremost authorities have explained the haunting and unchangeable impact of hallowed locations on the Civil War’s history and legacy. . . . This book belongs on the shelves of all Civil War enthusiasts and is a needed addition to the historiographies of the Civil War and contested memory.”—North Carolina Historical Review

Civil War Places encourages us as participants in the historical community – whether academics or members of the general public – to pause and to think more critically about our perceived connections with the sites we visit. This book shows us that it is a wonderful thing to marvel in both the seeming simplicity and the utter complexities of ‘place.’” —Army History

Multimedia & Links

Watch the book trailer:

Listen: Gary Gallgher interviewed by Tom Kearney (05/06/2019, running time 39:03)