Mark Hughes - The new civil war handbook: facts and photos for readers of all ages

The first book (really more of a pamphlet) I ever purchased was William Prices The Civil War Handbook . I was ten years old, on a visit to the Richmond battlefield with my family, when I spotted a copy in the parks gift shop. The tiny saddle-stitched volume immediately appealed to me. In a mere 60+ pages, the author successfully presented a variety of information anecdotes, images, and statistics about the war. It was an instant classic, published at the perfect time: 1961, the first year of the nations Civil War centennial celebrations.

Ive kept my copy of Prices work close at hand over the years. When I started writing books about Civil War cemeteries in the early 1990s, I regularly consulted The Civil War Handbook as a quick and easy reference. Although it remains a valuable source, Prices work is woefully outdated. In the nearly 50 years since it was first published, our understanding of the war has changed and expanded. New scholarship has challenged long-held beliefs and previously accepted data, and revealed new avenues of research (the wartime experiences of women and African Americans, for example, are no longer relegated to the historical dustbin). Modern photographic technology has allowed for the restoration and publication of a greater number of Civil War images. And the Internet has opened up countless new opportunities for us to learn about the past, allowing researchers access to vast amounts of digitized archival and genealogical materials.

A few years ago I decided to write my own Civil War handbook, updated and expanded for a 21st century audience. The result you now hold in your hands. The New Civil War Handbook contains a wide variety of information on Americas greatest conflict. I wanted my book to include material for all levels of Civil War enthusiast: hard data in easy-to-read charts for serious researchers, and lighter fare from images to anecdotes for younger or novice buffs. In short, I wanted to do in 2009 what William Price did so well in 1961: create an informative and entertaining Civil War resource for all to use. Only you will know whether I succeeded.

I benefitted from the assistance and encouragement of a number of people as I worked on The New Civil War Handbook . My colleagues at Cleveland Community College (Shelby, NC) were particularly helpful: Allen Mosteller, public services / reference librarian at the colleges Jim and Patsy Rose Library, located obscure books for me, while library staffers Victoria Linder and Constance Ackley-Staton saved me days of travel by obtaining material through inter-library loan. Barry Boyles, Al Dunkleman, Bruce Mack, Wayne Slocumb, and B.J. Zamora offered support and suggestions. Ron Wright, former vice president of academic programs, encouraged my research (I wish him success with his own writing project) and David Estridge, coordinator of the colleges industrial management program, provided his sketch of a minie ball for use in the book.

In my search for Civil War images, I received generous aid from Ms. Jodean Rousey Murdock, museum technician at the Rock Island Arsenal Museum; Mr. Eric N. Blevins, photographer at the North Carolina Museum of History; and Colonel Diane B. Jacob, head of Archives & Records Management at the Virginia Military Institute.

The folks at Savas Beatie made the publication process an enjoyable one. Managing director Ted Savas saw the potential in the project early on. My editor, Terry Johnston, offered many valuable suggestions and helped me develop the structure of this book. Also helpful was Sarah Keeney, Savas Beaties marketing director.

Special thanks go to Dr. David L. Norris, my mentor at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Dr. Norris encouraged me to write my first book; this is my fifth. I never would have considered writing without his encouragement.

Finally, my wife, Patricia McDaniel Hughes, and my daughter, Anna Grace Hughes, were invaluable sources of support, generously accompanying me on my many research trips to archives, libraries, cemeteries, and battlefields.

The material presented in The New Civil War Handbook was obtained from a variety of sources, the most prominent being: the U.S. War Departments The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records ; the U.S. Surgeon General Offices Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion ; Frederick Dyers Compendium of the War of the Rebellion ; Frederick Phisterers Statistical Record of the Armies of the United States ; William Foxs Regimental Losses in the American Civil War, 1861-1865 ; and Thomas Livermores Numbers and Losses in the Civil War in America, 1861-65. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are courtesy of the National Archives and Library of Congress.