The Civil War, also known as the War between the States, was fought from 1861 to 1865 up and down the American eastern seaboard. It was started when several Southern states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America (the Confederacy). The war originated in the argument over slavery and remains the bloodiest war in American History.

Materials included in this topical collection range from letters and diaries kept by soldiers on the front, records of the Confederacy and its operations, and Confederate sheet music to materials that come from the periods before and after the Civil War and give us a glimpse into life, culture, trade and travel both on and off the front as well as Southern life just before and after the war.

For more information on the Civil War and other resources available at FSU, see the American Civil War on the War & Society Research Guide.