9780300274714

0300274718

9780300234145

0300234147

"A history of the United States' greatest archival project and how it has shaped what we know about the Civil War. The Civil War generated a vast archive of official records-documents that would shape the postwar era and determine what future generations would know about the war. Yael Sternhell traces these records from their creation during wartime through their deployment in a host of postwar battles, including those between the federal government and Southerners seeking reparations and between veterans blaming each other for defeat. These documents were eventually published in the most important historical collection ever to have been assembled in the United States: The War

of the Rebellion: The Official Records of the Union and the Confederate Armies. Known as the OR, it is the ultimate source for generations of scholars and writers and ordinary citizens researching the war. By delving into the archive, Sternhell reveals its power to shape myths, hide truths, perpetuate rancor, and foster reconciliation. Far more than a storehouse of papers, the Civil War archive is a major historical actor in its own right." -- Provided by publisher.

Cover

Half Title

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Contents

INTRODUCTION

1. An Archive Made and Unmade

2. Revenge in the Archive

3. Archiving without an Archive

4. Official Records and the Search for Truth

5. "Simply the Facts"

6. Missing Links

7. The Archive and Sectional Reconciliation

CODA An Imperfect Story

Notes

Acknowledgments

Index

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

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Q

R

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U

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W

Y

Archives > United States.

Records > United States.

United States > History > Civil War, 1861-1865 > Sources.