Confederate Dog in the Civil War: Sawbuck
Loyal dogs populated both armies in the Civil War. For every Union dog, there was a Confederate dog taking part in the battles. Like wars before it, the Civil War …
Civil War Stories
True and compelling stories from the American Civil War.
Why Emancipation Day is Held April 16 in Washington, D.C.
Slaveholding was still a way of life for some residents of Washington, D.C. even after the Civil War began. But in 1862 that changed. The D.C. Emancipation Act was signed …
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Harriet Beecher Stowe, Anti-Slavery Author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) grew up in a family who cared deeply about social issues, including the abolition of slavery. Stowe chose to use the power of words to bring to light the injustice of slavery. She wrote: “…the enslaving of the African race is a clear violation of the great law which commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves.”
Dog Jack, Mascot and Volunteer for the Union
Jack, a young mastiff, was to become one of the best-known mascots of the Civil War because his story was reported by a reporter with Harper’s Weekly in 1862. Jack …
First Female Surgeon in Civil War: Physician Mary Walker
• Volunteered with the Union Army but had to serve as a nurse, not a physician because of her gender; eventually surgeons were so badly needed that her skills 
were put to use
• In 1865 Dr. Mary Walker was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for her work In the Civil War; however in 1917 it was rescinded.
• She refused to return the medal and wore it all her life. In 1977 the honor was reinstated.
Elizabeth Thorn (1832-1907): Six Months Pregnant and Burying the Dead at Gettysburg
- Stepped in to serve as cemetery caretaker since her husband was off fighting for the Union
- Often referred to as “Angel of Gettysburg”
