An experienced general retires
In this letter sent to Secretary of War Simon Cameron on October 31, 1861, Winfield Scott<&ndash> general-in-chief of the Union Army<&ndash> requested retirement...
Appeal to the President
In this letter, Cpl. James H. Gooding complained to President Abraham Lincoln about the unequal pay situation. He argued that the men of the 54th Massachusetts did...
Black officers for black soldiers
Frederick Douglass and his son Lewis, the former sergeant major of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, were among the 200 men who signed this petition to...
Bound to the Confederate effort
This ledger sheet lists slaves employed at the Confederate States Armory in Macon, Georgia, in December 1862. You can find the names and occupations of each slave and...
Breach of contract
1st Sgt. Stephen A. Swails of Company F believed the Army had not honored its obligations regarding his pay. While white first sergeants were receiving $20 per month,...
Bull Eagle signs up
By signing this document on August 21, 1874, Bull Eagle of the Lakota Sioux enlisted as a scout with the 11th Infantry Regiment during the Plains Indians Wars. He...
Coming ashore on D-day
This World War II account was made by Company A of the 116th Infantry Regiment—one of the few companies to land where planned on D-day. The landing craft approached...