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This selection of images is intended to serve as a chronological overview of the war as depicted in items from the Civil War collections at the New-York Historical Society. The variety of materials in the collections represented here provides a complex look at the war, from both the Union and Confederate points of view, by artists and observers of many types.

In late May, a triumphal review of Union troops took place in Washington, D.C.

The Union Commander-in-chief did not live to see the triumphant return of the Union troops, however. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865

After the war, many veterans found the transition back to civilian life difficult. Many were severely wounded, or had lost limbs. William Oland Bourne became acquainted with many such veterans when at the Central Park Hospital. He published a magazine sold by veterans, entitled The Soldier's Friend. To encourage wounded veterans to develop their skills, Bourne announced a left-handed writing contest for men who had lost their right arms. In this letter, Phineas P. Whitehouse encourages fellow veterans to re-learn writing while convalescing. These documents serve as a reminder of the terrible human cost of the Civil War.