Yarde Reviews & Book Promotion: Research Arsenal (The American Civil War Database)

Research Arsenal
The American Civil War Database
A Review by Ellie Yarde

In the name of research, the Research Arsenal database has done the American Civil War justice in preserving the intricate details of the war. It is the perfect place to find the details you are after, whether it be a picture of a specific officer or an understanding of what life was like for a particular regiment by reading their letters. With such a wide option of filters and search options, this database allows you to find exactly what you are after in just seconds. Simply searching for a single word brings up a plethora of documents which have been cross-referenced to that word. Each document has a list of keywords that includes every item in a picture, making it easy for you to find a specific detail you might be looking for. Transcripts have been written for the letters and ledgers available on this database, which allow you to easily read the documents without struggling with handwriting or ageing paper.

Every document on the Research Arsenal database is a primary source. The learning capabilities this database has are immense, be that for authors, historians or teachers, for it does not just show the facts, but also the reality behind the facts. The letters reveal how people from different ranks spoke, and while the facts are there, letters to home also show what the soldiers were and were not telling their loved ones. They reveal who shielded their relatives from the truths, and who wrote home every detail of what was happening around them. The images are clear and beautifully preserved. It is one thing to imagine what period clothing might look like, but this database shows you exactly what they look like. This database provides a comprehensive collection of images, all in one place, where one can peruse through different social classes and look in depth at what styles they wore through the years, and how they wore them.

The photos themselves are in immaculate condition and have been rendered into the website incredibly well, which allows you to zoom in on the images without them blurring. This is perfect for those who want to take a look at the smaller details, such as what certain people are wearing, or what a certain piece of equipment looked like.

There is an option to search through documents by date, as well as by army or place. If you are after photos of an area, or mentions in written documents, for a particular battle, the search can easily be narrowed down.

The website itself is relatively easy to understand, and it does not take long to figure out how the filtering search options work, or how the website has been put together for user ease.

Since the database has worked so closely with the Library of Congress to turn a massive collection of historical documents into an easy-to-navigate database, there is no concern about copywritten documents or images. Every document the Research Arsenal has on file is in the public domain, allowing researchers, authors, teachers, and history buffs alike to use any and all resources in their work, without the hassle of having to gain the correct permissions to do so. It is a collection of sources, simply waiting to be weaselled out and used.

While there is a free trial option, this does not necessarily give you a taste of what unlimited access with a paid subscription can offer you. The free trial does not have a clear time limit on it, but while you can access the entirety of the filtering options to search through photo and written records, you cannot click into any of them to look at them in more detail or, in the case of the written records, to read them at all. This does push you towards choosing a paid membership, although once you have seen how many things there are to offer, and potentially found the photos and documents that will help you further your research, then it makes sense to take out the subscription which I think is priced very reasonably.

Whether you are looking for a starting place for a new novel, or have spent days on end scouring the internet for the handwritten documents you need to know just how many weapons a specific division of a specific army had on a specific date, the search is over. The Research Arsenal is the saving grace for anybody attempting to do any level of research into the American Civil War. To know the facts is one thing, but to look through primary sources, at pictures which have been meticulously researched and connected to one another; with letters allowing you to follow a certain soldier through their war; and ledgers, diaries, and photos revealing life as a civilian during the war… to have a collection of thousands of documents, The Research Arsenal has created a site that brings history back to life. It is the perfect site for anyone interested in any aspect of the American Civil War, whether it be the war as a whole, the weapons used, or even just one significant person. For anyone with such an interest, this archive is a treasure trove, with thousands upon thousands of records, just waiting to be found.

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.