The four bloody years of the American Civil War left a permanent scar on the nation. Through it all, people on both sides fought bravely for the causes they believed in, both on the battlefield and beyond. A select few of these people are remembered as war heroes. Learn about these remarkable people and the key roles they played in the Civil War.

The Whirlwind of War builds on the great themes and follows many of the important figures who were introduced in The Approaching Fury. Stephen B. Oates's riveting narrative brings to life the complex and destructive war that is the central event in American history. He writes in the first person, assuming the viewpoints of several of the principal figures: the rival presidents, Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis; the rival generals, Robert E. Lee,...

Imagine dodging bullets as you rush to help a wounded soldier on a battlefield. Or hiding secret messages in your skirt and sneaking across enemy lines. Women did these things and more during the American Civil War. Some worked as nurses or spies, while others were abolitionists, authors or preachers. But whatever their job, these women fought for what they believed in. Learn about the efforts of these brave women, and open your eyes to the impact...

Ulysses S. Grant's life has typically been misunderstood. He is often caricatured as a chronic loser and an inept businessman, or as the triumphant but brutal Union general of the Civil War. But these stereotypes don't capture the general and president whose fortunes rose and fell with dizzying speed and frequency. Before the Civil War, Grant was flailing. His business ventures had ended dismally, and despite distinguished service in the Mexican War...

On the eve of the Civil War, one soldier embodied the legacy of George Washington and the hopes of leaders across a divided land. Both North and South knew Robert E. Lee as the son of George Washington's most famous eulogist and the son-in-law of Washington's adopted child. Each side sought his service for high command. Lee could choose only one. Here, former White House speechwriter Jonathan Horn reveals how the officer most associated with Washington...

"Joseph Holt, the stern, brilliant, and deeply committed Unionist from Kentucky, spent the first several months of the American Civil War successfully laboring to maintain Kentucky's loyalty to the Union, then went on to serve as President Lincoln's judge advocate general. In Lincoln's Forgotten Ally: Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt of Kentucky, Elizabeth Leonard offers the first full-scale biography of Holt, who has long been overlooked and misunderstood...