This text offers a glimpse of a tumultuous time in US history. A primary source reference, it includes 400 biographies of prominent figures living during the American Civil War period, written by their contemporaries. The authors' observations of the time in which they lived, interwoven with biographical portraits of their subjects, add an extra dimension of interest to this illustrated A-Z reference. In addition to military and political leaders, the book covers major business leaders, scientists, inventors, artists, entertainers, publishers, abolitionists, and other notable persons such as the chief of the Wampanog Indians Elisha Converse, Barbara Fritchie and Tom Thumb.