CIVIL WAR RESEARCH
FOR FICTION AUTHORS
GETTING THE DETAILS RIGHT MATTERS
A DATABASE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION AUTHORS
FOCUSING ON THE MATERIAL CULTURE OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
Improve your story by adding accurate details of the regiments men & women of the mid 19th Century.
In the world of fiction, the devil is in the details, and getting those details right can elevate your novel to a whole new level of authenticity. Imagine your readers immersing themselves in your story, feeling the weight of a specific weapon issued to the regiment your story follows.
Accurate historical details not only lend credibility to your narrative but also create a tangible connection between your audience and the past. On the flip side, inaccuracies can jar readers who possess a keen understanding of history, taking them out of your story with a level of skepticism that can damage your reputation as a historical fiction author.
By ensuring accurate descriptions and details in your depiction of the American Civil War, you not only avoid potential pitfalls but also distinguish your work as a masterpiece that stands the test of historical scrutiny. Remember, getting it right in fiction is not just about storytelling; it's about embracing the historical context and engaging your readers on a profound level.
KEYWORD SEARCH THOUSANDS OF ORIGINAL PHOTOS!
Start your journey and save hours of research by joining the Research Arsenal.
BUILD AN ACCURATE AND DETAILED SETTING
The Research Arsenal gives you access to the largest archive of fully tagged Civil War photos online. Our comprehensive tagging system means that each photo you look at comes with a complete list of every item in the photograph, along with links to their official descriptions from military handbooks and manuals. Along with thousands of letters from soldiers and civilians writing about their surroundings and camp life, everything you need to build an accurate setting is just a search away. For everything from rifles to coffee pots, we’ve got you covered.
GIVE YOUR CHARACTERS A VOICE THAT MATCHES THEIR TIME
Crafting a distinct and memorable voice for their characters is one of the hallmarks of a great author. With the thousands of letters available on the Research Arsenal, you can immerse yourself in the language of the time and study how everyone from young farmers to aged politicians talked. Take a deep dive into letters from the area of your setting and in no time you’ll have a sense of the rhythm of their speech and useful expressions you can incorporate into dialog. Whether it’s complaining about things being “played out” or a habit of using “commenced” and “on account of” in place of “started” and “because,” our letters collection will give you a leg up in crafting believable, period accurate dialog.
GET QUICK ANSWERS FOR ALL THE LITTLE DETAILS
Writing historical fiction takes a lot of research and even small questions can having you wasting hours on rabbit holes that ultimately leave you without answers. With the Research Arsenal, you can keyword search all of our documents at once, making it easy to answer all kinds of questions and unearth a new level of detail. You can use our complete Union Ordnance Returns to find out the exact weapon a soldier was carrying on a given month, or read through letters home where soldiers detail the exact price they paid for a pound of butter and a dozen eggs. Save valuable time and get all your research questions answered straight from the source.
FILTER ALL IMAGES & DOCUMENTS BY REGIMENT, DATE, WEAPONS & MUCH MORE!
Every Civil War image uploaded to the Research Arsenal is tagged, by experts, with every major item in the image. From each weapon, sword, person, rank insignia, boot, shoe, and knapsack, you will be able to find that one image you have been trying to find for inspiration!
A DIGITAL ARCHIVE UNLIKE ANY OTHER
The Research Arsenal puts thousands of letters fully digitized and transcribed at your fingertips.
Read about the war from many perspectives. From privates, to generals, to the folks at home, the Research Arsenal letter and diary collection has a wealth of firsthand accounts of the war and details that get lost in “big picture” novels. Search thousands of Civil War letters and Civil War Diaries in a user friendly way to find exactly what you are looking for.
REVIEWS FROM FICTION AUTHORS
"The Research Arsenal is a game changer for anyone researching, teaching, or writing about the American Civil War, and the possibilities it holds, for reducing research time, and allowing those using it to spend more time writing, or planning, rather than scouring through the internet and books to find the information they are after. With the Research Arsenal, the potential for many more people to begin learning about the Civil War, and the power it holds for authors and teachers of the period is immense".
"The Research Arsenal allows me to search by keyword across multiple categories. As a historian, this means that for the first time, I can search on one site for a specific battle and find photographs, private letters, and military documents all at once. It combines ease of use with access to previously unavailable research material."
-Johanna Wickman-
