The American Civil War had a profound effect on the life of civilians and women living in the areas of conflict, as well as those who had to scrape out a living while family members were at war. The Library's holdings include numerous diaries, ledgers, and letters detailing the effects of the war on the home front.
These sources provide information on individuals' opinions on the war, involvement with the war effort, and description of the fates of family and friends. Although the Library has several larger collections of letters, as well as lengthy diaries, researchers may also need to comb through collections of family papers, as well as collections that consist of only a few letters or pages from a diary.
For resources related to African American experiences, see the African American History section.
Use the following suggested keywords to search the LVA Catalog: