Strange-but-true stories on the Civil War
February is Black History Month. Visit the National Archives website for more information and resources on African American History. Today’s Facial Hair Friday post about Robert Smalls comes from Rachel Bartgis, conservator technician at the National Archives at College Park, MD. Robert Smalls was an American boat pilot, politician, and businessman whose daring heroism during … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Robert Smalls
Today's post comes from Dorothy Dougherty, Programs Director at the National Archives at New York City. By current estimate, the National Archives has over 5 million cubic feet of traditional records in its holdings. Those textual records include manuscripts, memorandums, official business letters, and even the occasional personal letter. Today’s post features one such personal … Continue reading Across and Down: An Unusual Civil War Letter
In honor of Veterans Day, today's Facial Hair Friday looks at a bearded veteran of the U.S. Civil War who first suggested the United States take control of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. John McAllister Schofield was a lieutenant general during the U.S. Civil War who led his troops during such battles as Franklin and Nashville. After … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: John McAllister Schofield
Today’s Facial Hair Friday is about Hiram Rhodes Revels, the first African American to serve in Congress and the first African American Senator. It’s from Rachel Bartgis, conservator technician at the National Archives at College Park, MD. First African-American Senator Hiram Revels. (National Archives Identifier 594264) Hiram Revels was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Hiram Revels
Today’s post comes from Rachel Bartgis, conservator technician at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. During the U.S. Civil War, the manufacture of gunpowder became a serious concern for the Confederacy. While there were several powder mills located in the country, the United States had imported most of the wood ash, sulfur, and saltpeter … Continue reading Enslaved Women of the Confederate Nitre Works
Today’s post comes from Rachel Bartgis, conservator technician at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. During the U.S. Civil War, the Confederate Army required enslavers to loan their enslaved people to the military. Throughout the Confederacy from Florida to Virginia, these enslaved people served as cooks and laundresses, labored in deadly conditions to mine … Continue reading Confederate Slave Payrolls
Today's Facial Hair Friday candidate is Robert Gould Shaw, whose moustaches are probably best known because of his portrayal by Matthew Broderick in the 1989 film Glory. This post is from Rachel Bartgis, conservator technician at the National Archives at College Park, MD. Robert Gould Shaw, ca. 1861-1863. (National Archives Identifier 529814) Robert Gould Shaw … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Robert Gould Shaw
This week is International Archives Week #IAW2021, time set aside by the International Council on Archives (ICA) to celebrate the founding of ICA in 1948. This year’s theme is #EmpoweringArchives. Today’s post comes from Bryan Cheeseboro, an archives technician at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The National Archives has created a short documentary Charles … Continue reading International Archives Week—Charles Sprout: A Civil War Soldier Revisited
March is Irish American Heritage Month, and we're taking a look at one of the more curious incidents in Irish American history: when Irish Americans attacked Canada! Today’s post comes from Rachel Bartgis, conservator technician at the National Archives at College Park, MD. John Francis O'Mahony, ca. 1861-1865. (National Archives Identifier 526300) In the wake … Continue reading Celebrating Irish Americans: The Fenian Brotherhood
March 8–9, 2021, marks the 159th anniversary of the Battle of Hampton Roads, also known as the Battle of the Monitor and Merrimack. This battle is significant as the first fight between two ironclad warships, USS Monitor and CSS Virginia. Today’s post comes from Rachel Bartgis, conservator technician at the National Archives at College Park, MD. … Continue reading USS Monitor Gun Carriages
