People

Yes, there are Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and the other obvious heroes of the Civil War. But there are also many names you may never have heard of. From famous politicians to everyday citizens, people from all walks of life played important, sometimes revolutionary, roles during the war. Find out more about who some of these people were and how they changed history.

Browse People

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  Soldiers and Sailors Database

  Check our database of over 6 million soldiers, as well as information on regiments, battles, and more.

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  Politicians

  The Civil War culminated 80 years of sectional tensions and ideologies of freedom and government authority were debated...

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  Military

  Learn about the men who developed strategy and led the troops of the Union and Confederacy into battle.

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  Activists

  From women’s rights, to abolition, to states’ rights, and the ideology of freedom, the Civil War era was a time of social...

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  Spies

  A war that pitted neighbors who shared a common language and heritage against each other created many opportunities...

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  Religious Figures

  Religious figures’ opinions on freedom and society rallied congregations and acted as prominent examples for their causes.

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  Civilians

  The Civil War and its effects touched the lives of virtually every man, woman and child in both the North and South.