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Arts & Humanities Library
America: History and Life
Use to find articles and other works on U.S. and Canadian history
American National Biography Online
Biographical essays on men and women whose lives shaped the nation
Archives USA
A subject guide to special collections in archives across the country
ArchiveGrid
Use to discover archival materials in U.S. and international collections
American Broadsides and Ephemera
Broadsides created from 1820 to 1900 and printed ephemera from between 1760 and 1900
Biography and Genealogy Master Index
Find biographies published in specialized encyclopedias and dictionaries
Civil War Letters and Diaries
Full-text of writings from over 400 authors, as well as related materials
Historical Abstracts
Find articles and other materials written about World history from the year 1450 to the present
History Cooperative
Full text of history journals from the Organization of American Historians and other sources
Muse
Full-text of scholarly journals, including Civil War History and other history journals
North American Women: Letters and Diaries
Letters and diaries from Colonial times to around 1950
JSTOR
Full-text archive of scholarly journals many fields, including dozens of core history journals
Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies
Digital archive of the journal of the Pennsylvania Historical Association
Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography
Digital archive of the scholarly journal published by The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Periodicals Archive Online
Full-text of back issue of academic journals
Serial Set
Full-text of government publications, including congressional reports, executive and department reports and other documents ordered printed by Congress
Western Pennsylvania History
Digital archive of the journal currently published by the Senator John Heinz History Center
Wright American Fiction, 1851-1875
Contains full texts of American novels first published between 1851 and 1875.
America's Historical Newspapers, 1690-1922
Full-text of hundreds of papers from all regions of the United States
Accessible Archives
Full-text of three Civil War newspapers and early 19th Century African-American newspapers
African American Newspapers, 1827-1998
The bulk of the content is from the late 19th century onwards with a handful of titles from the Civil War and reconstruction eras.
American Periodicals Series Online, 1740-1900
Full-text of American magazines and journals that originated between 1741 and 1900
Chicago Tribune Historical (1849-1986)
Full-text of back issues, does not include the most recent years.
Chronicling America
Historical newspapers from 1836-1922
Confederate Newspapers
Newspapers from Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and Alabama from 1861-1865. Some states have only scattered issues available - check the holdings statement on the front page to confirm dates of coverage.
Google News Archive
A mix of free and "pay per view" news sources, including some 19th century titles.
Harper's Weekly, 1857-1877
An important source, noted for its many illustrations of the war
New York Times Historical Digital Archive, 1851-
Full-text of all the back issues of the NY Times. Does not include the most recent years.
Newspaperarchive
Primarily Pennsylvania papers with some content from other states. Includes many small and medium-sized cities.
Nineteenth Century U.S Newspapers
Digital archive of the 19th century press
Pennsylvania Civil War Era Newspapers
A free digital collection of newspapers from February 1831 to February 1877.
African Newspapers, 1800-1922 (World Newspaper Archive)
19th Century Newspapers, British Library Collection
Full runs of selected national and regional newspapers
British Periodicals
A full-text collection of British magazines
Economist Historical Archive, 1843-2003
A weekly business and trade magazine with commentary on international affairs.
Latin American Newspapers, 1805-1922 (World Newspaper Archive)
most content is in Spanish.
Times of London Digital Archive , 1785-1985
Complete digital reproduction of the world's "newspaper of record".
The Penn State Libraries have original or microfilmed magazines and newspapers from the Civil War era.
Use NewsCAT to locate newspapers by time period, region, or format.
To find books and other materials at Penn State use the library’s catalog, The CAT. Use “I Want it” to request items from other campuses.
In some cases you will discover Penn State does not have the book you need. Use WorldCat to search for materials in libraries worldwide. Use the “Request via ILL” link in WorldCAT to have items delivered to you. For additional options see our "Interlibrary Loan" page
Online Books
Google Book Search — This digital index to the contents of over 10 million English language books is created from the contents of CIC university libraries and others.
Hathi Trust Digital Library — A digital catalog and repository created by research libraries.
PA's Past: Digital Bookshelf Online works pertaining to Pennsylvania history.
The American Civil War: A Handbook of Literature and Research
The Civil War and Reconstruction: A Student Companion (find in the CAT)
Guide to Civil War Books: An Annotated Selection of Modern Works on the War Between the States (find in the CAT)
The Official Records of the American Civil War: A Researcher's Guide (find in the CAT)
A Companion to the Civil War and Reconstruction (find in the CAT)
Call # E468.5.C64 2005 , Pattee Stacks Level 1. Contains essays summarizing the historical development and current state of the field for various Civil War topics
Civil War eyewitnesses : an annotated bibliography of books and articles, 1955-1986 (find in the CAT)
Civil War eyewitnesses : an annotated bibliography of books and articles, 1986-1996 (find in the CAT)
The Civil War in Books: An Analytical Bibliography (find in the CAT)
Civil War Novels: An Annotated Bibliography (find in the CAT)
Confederate Imprints: a Bibliography of Southern Publications from Secession to Surrender (find in the CAT)
Regimental Publications & Personal Narratives of the Civil War: a Checklist (find in the CAT)
Bibliography of State Participation in the Civil War 1861-1866 (find in the CAT)
Women and the American Civil War: an annotated bibliography (find in the CAT)
To locate more bibliographies on your topic try a keyword search in LionSearch combining your subject and the word bibliography. It typically works best if you use more general topics, e.g. military history and bibliography, nineteenth century and bibliography, women and bibliography, etc...
Civil War: Day by Day: An Almanac, 1861-1865 (find in the CAT)
Encyclopedia Reconstruction (find in the CAT)
Encyclopedia of the Confederacy (find in the CAT)
Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History
(find in the CAT)
Encyclopedia of the United States in the Nineteenth Century (find in the CAT)
Everyday Life During the Civil War: A Guide for Writers, Students and Historians
(find in the CAT)
"A House Divided"--: a Century of Great Civil War Quotations (find in the CAT)
The Language of the Civil War (find in the CAT)
American Memory: Civil War Maps
Atlas for the American Civil War (find in the CAT)
Call # G1201.S5A8 1986 F, Maps Library, Basement level Paterno
Atlas of the Civil War (find in the CAT)
Atlas to Accompany Confederate Military History (find in the CAT)
Call # E484.C65 1962 Maps Library, Basement level Paterno
Civil War Battlefield Guide (find in the CAT)
Call # E641.C58 1998, Arts and Humanities Reference, 2nd Floor Pattee Library
Civil War Maps: An Annotated List of Maps and Atlases in the Library of Congress
(find in the CAT), Call #Z6027.U5U55 1989, Maps Library, Basement level Paterno
Civil War Maps in the National Archives (find in the CAT)
Call # Z6027.U5U58, Maps Library, Basement level Paterno
Civil War Newspaper Maps (find in the CAT)
Call # G1201.S5B6 1993, Maps Library, Basement level Paterno
Civil War Sites, Memorials, Museums, and Library Collections: A State-by-State Guidebook to Places Open to the Public (find in the CAT), Call # E641.G45 1997, Arts and Humanities Reference, 2nd Floor Pattee Library
The Official Military Atlas of the Civil War: Atlas to Accompany the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (find in the CAT), Call # G1201.S5U6 1983 F, Maps Library, Basement level Paterno
Also see our Historical Newspapers guide.
Access Pennsylvania Digital Repository
A statewide digitization service on behalf of the Office of Commonwealth Libraries. Includes digitized collections created by libraries and other entities located throughout Pennsylvania
American Broadsides and Ephemera
Broadsides created from 1820 to 1900 and printed ephemera from between 1760 and 1900
Black Abolitionist Papers, 1830-1865
Letters, speeches, editorials, articles, sermons, and essays by African Americans actively involved in the movement to end slavery in the United States between 1830 and 1865. The majority of the content is from the United States, with some coverage of the abolitionist movement in England, Scotland, Ireland and Canada,
Black Literature, 1827-1940 (find in the CAT)
Letters received by the Secretary of War, irregular series, 1861-1866 (find in the CAT)
Congressional Documents
Extensive collection of 19th century government documents: including hearings, reports, and other materials ordered printed by Congress.
Letters received by the Secretary of War, irregular series, 1861-1866 (find in the CAT)
Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion (1861-1865) (find in the CAT)
The Civil War CD-ROM II : official records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion (on CD-ROM) (find in the CAT)
Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery (find in the CAT)
Records of Ante-Bellum Southern Plantations from the Revolution through the Civil War (History Vault)
Includes letters, diaries, economic records, and other documents on everyday life on southern plantations.
Records of the Assistant Commissioner, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (find in the CAT)
Records of the Confederate States of America, 1859-1872 (find in the CAT)
Slavery and Antislavery: A Transnational Archive
A massive digital collection of 18th and 19th century documents; Pamphlets, Books, Correspondence, Newspapers, Legal Documents, Manuscripts, and other materials. Includes over 1 million pages of unpublished archival material produced by pro and anti-slavery organizations and individuals.
Slavery and the Law (History Vault)
Includes judicial cases and petitions relating to African-Americans to Southern courts and legislatures.
Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (find in the CAT)
Contains information left out of the original Official Records
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. (find in the CAT) Also available ONLINE.
Writers' Program. Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves. Prepared by the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938. Also online as part of American Memory: Born in Slavery. Slave Narratives from the Federal Writer's Project, 1936-1938
Civil War Manuscripts a Guide to Publications in the Library of Congress (find in the CAT)
Call # Z1242.L48 1986, Arts and Humanities Reference, 2nd Floor Pattee Library
Guide to the Archives of the Government of the Confederate States of America
(find in the CAT), Call # CD3047.B4, Arts and Humanities Reference, 2nd Floor Pattee Library
Guide to Federal Archives Relating to the Civil War (find in the CAT)
Call # CD3047.M8, Pattee Stacks Level BA
The easiest way to locate a biography is to do a Browse Subject search in The CAT. Enter the name of the person as the subject. For autobiographies do an Author search.
Unfortunately the above approach only works if most or all of the book is about the individual. Many people are not famous enough to have entire books devoted to them (or you may not want to read an entire book!) In these cases your best bet is to consult a biographical dictionary or encyclopedia. Typically these sources provide a brief essay (a paragraph to a few pages) summarizing the individual's major accomplishments. The library has hundreds, if not thousands, of these sources. The ones below will get you started.
Biographical Dictionary of the Confederacy (find in the CAT)
Call #E467.W2, Arts & Humanities, Pattee, Stacks 2 - Reference Collection
Biographical Dictionary of the Union : Northern Leaders of the Civil War (find in the CAT)
Call #E467.B56 1995, Arts & Humanities, Pattee, Stacks 2 - Reference Collection
Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
An attempt by the National Park Service to provide basic information about all who served in the war
Leaders of the American Civil War: a Biographical and Historiographical Dictionary
(find in the CAT), Call #E467.L43 1998, Arts & Humanities, Pattee, Stacks 2 - Reference Collection
Pennsylvania Scrap Book Necrology
Obituaries from circa 1891-1904, mostly of PA Civil War veterans)
Pennsylvania Civil War Project/Pennsylvanians in the Civil War
A searchable set of data on men who served in during the Civil War and were either residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or enlisted in the military units in the state. Data presented was gathered from the Volumes: History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5 by Samuel P. Bates (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902, descendants of the servicemen, and other public records.
The sources below often give minimal information about individuals, but can be useful to verify service, and to place people within their historical context.
Civil War Eyewitnesses: An Annotated Bibliography of Books and Articles
Vol 1, 1955-1986 (find in the CAT), Call #E601.C78 1988, Arts & Humanities, Pattee, Stacks 2 - Reference Collection
Vol. 2, 1986-1996 (find in the CAT), Call #E601.C79 2000, Arts & Humanities, Pattee, Stacks 2 - Reference Collection Describes published accounts written by those who witnessed the Civil War
Compendium of the War of the Rebellion (find in the CAT)
Call #973.7D988c, Pattee Stacks Level 2
History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5 (find in the CAT)
Call # E527.B32, Rare Books and Special Collections Library, 1st Floor Paterno; also ONLINE
Pennsylvania Civil War Project/Pennsylvanians in the Civil War
A searchable set of data on men who served in during the Civil War and were either residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or enlisted in the military units in the state. Data presented was gathered from the Volumes: History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5 by Samuel P. Bates (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902, descendants of the servicemen, and other public records
Regimental Publications and Personal Narratives of the Civil War: A Checklist
(find in the CAT), Call #Z1242.D6, Pattee Stacks Level 2
The Roster of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 (find in the CAT)
Call #E548.R65 1995, Pattee Stacks Level 1
The Roster of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 (find in the CAT)
Call # E494.H4, Pattee Stacks Level 1
Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (find in the CAT)
Call # E464.U62 1994, Pattee Stacks Level 1. Contains information left out of the original Official Records
The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (find in the CAT), Call # E464.U6 1985, Pattee Stacks Level 1A; also available ONLINE. Also on CD-ROM, E464.C51997b, Music and Media Center, 2nd Floor West Pattee Library. Also see the Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies described above
The links below are for general sites and those that provide starting points for research.
State Library of Pennsylvania Civil War Collection
Penn State Civil War Era Center
The United States Civil War Center
American Memory
Includes African-American Pamphlets, Civil War Era Band Music, Civil War Images, Maps, Papers of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas, Slave Narratives and other 19th Century collections
Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
An attempt by the National Park Service to provide basic information about all who served in the war
Documenting the American South
An online collection of sources, including diaries, oral histories, and literature from the South
Valley of the Shadow
A hypermedia archive of thousands of sources for the Civil War era in Augusta County, Virginia, and Franklin County, Pennsylvania
H-CivWar Discussion Network
A discussion list for the culture and history of the Civil War. The web site contains an archive as well as reviews
PA's Past Digital Bookshelf
Internet Modern History Sourcebook: U.S. Civil War
Full-text of source documents
Making of America
Over 8,000 texts originally published in the 19th Century, with an emphasis on the period from 1850-1875
Secession Era Editorials Project
Provides full-text of editorials grouped around major political issues in the pre-Civil War years
Selected Civil War Photographs (Library of Congress)
The American Civil War Home Page
Links to (mostly free) sites with information on all aspects of the war (music, fiction, regimental histories, state resources, etc...). Includes scholarly resources produced by libraries, archives and museums as well as personal websites and commercial sites.
