National Geographic presents provocative stories shedding new light on
the Civil War, American history's watershed, from Union and Confederate
soldiers to Abraham Lincoln and Gettysburg.
Was Gettysburg a tactical success, or was the outcome determined by a
far more mundane factor: access to fresh water? How did the need to
spread information about the dead and wounded give rise to the U.S.
Postal Service? Did President Lincoln really age so dramatically during
the course of the war, or was a rare disease to blame for the shocking
difference in images of him from before and during the war? From
overlooked elements, such as the role of weather, health, and high
emotions, to the world-changing effect of the rise of female workers, to
the many "firsts" including the introduction of standard time, pre-sized
clothing, canned goods, toilets, and Santa Claus, The Untold Civil War
reveals new facets of a seemingly well-known slice of American history,
just in time to commemorate its 150th anniversary.
Dramatically illustrated with archival images and objects and compelling
contemporary photography, this book delivers a surprise on every page:
from precious personal mementos to forgotten battle sites; from newly
recovered glass-plate negatives that reveal long-obscured photographic
details to long-lost documents; this book adds a new dimension to our
understanding of the Civil War and is a must-have for anyone with an
interest in American history.
Six thematic chapters--such as "Characters," "Connections," and "A War
of Firsts"--present a short introductory essay followed by approximately
30 self-contained stories that detail surprising, little-known, and
fresh aspects of the war. Themes both large and small will be explored
and contextualized, painting a fascinating portrait of our national
character and showcasing the enduring impact of the Civil War.
