Features photographs of pieces from the National Archives' Civil War collection, and presents commentaries about some of the issues and stories behind the war.

"This book is based on the exhibition "Discovering the Civil War," presented at the National Archives' Lawrence F. O'Brien Gallery in Washington, DC, in two parts: "Beginnings," from April 30, 2010, to September 6, 2010, and "Consequences," from November 10, 2010, to April 17, 2011."

Introduction -- Breaking apart -- Raising armies -- Finding leaders -- We were there -- A local fight -- A global war -- Spies and conspiracies -- Invention and enterprise -- Prisoners and casualties -- Emancipations -- Endings and beginnings -- Remembering.