The Untold Civil War Offers a Rich Experience to Readers of All Ages

In honor of the 150^th anniversary of the Civil War, National Geographic presents the work of award-winning James Robertson and preeminent editor Neil Kagan in The Untold Civil War, a masterful collection of untold stories that offers a unique human perspective on the war that shaped American history.

Through Robertson’s collection of personal accounts, the Civil War comes to life as readers explore the daily routine of soldiers and the odd quirks of their esteemed commanders. More than 475 photographs, sketches, relics, and mementos – many of them published here for the first time – create a remarkable compilation as readers gain an inside view behind the famous names of the Civil War.

From the secret of Ulysses S. Grant’s nervous aversion to the sight of blood, to Union General “Beast Butler” and his scandalous antics, Robertson reveals eye-opening dimensions that will delight readers. A mumbling, red-bearded man who spends his days comforting the sick and wounded will one day be hailed as the literary genius Walt Whitman. Albert Cashier, a Union soldier, gains notoriety after the fighting is over when his old comrades-in-arms discover Albert’s secret: she is a woman. Most heart-warming is the story of Sallie, the spirited fighting terrier who adopts the 11^th Pennsylvania Infantry as her own and leads soldiers into battle at Fredericksburg, Gettysburg,  and Antietam.

Robertson propels the reader through these accounts and more as the devastation wrought upon families and civilians leaps from the pages in recorded political cartoons and shocking photographs. Writes lonely Sergeant Edwin Fay, “My heart is bursting. I almost fear I shall go crazy – I don’t see how I can stand it.”

Yet for all its carnage and destruction, the Civil War was a time of creativity and innovation. What General Sherman termed “the hard hand of war” would eventually transform every aspect of national life and give rise to a dynamic new society. The Civil War gave witness to the first submarine, the early usage of artificial limbs, and extensive media documentation as photographers braved battlefields with daguerreotypes in hand.

Richly illustrated and deeply personal, this book offers an unforgettable human drama through six thematic chapters that will grip readers of all ages, from Civil War buffs to all those interested in human stories of our American history.

“Beautifully illustrated and engagingly written.” –Library Journal

Available wherever books are sold or visit shopng.com/civilwar