Research Arsenal

10/31/2025

This week for our What's it Wednesday we asked how tall the standard issue cavalry boot was during the Civil War. The answer: 12 inches. Private purchase boots could vary and were often much taller, ranging from 15 up to 17 inches.

10/29/2025

For our What's it Wednesday this week, how tall was the standard issue cavalry boot in the Civil War? Post your guesses below and check back Friday for the answer!

Photo: Officers of the 5th US Cavalry: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/67065

10/27/2025

In his collection of 34 letters home on the Research Arsenal, Charles Miller recounts his participation in many battles as well as daily camp life. The letters span nearly his entire length of service, from September, 1862 to April, 1865. After several months guarding Washington, D.C., the 140th New York Infantry saw heavy fighting at the Battle of Fredericksburg, in December, 1862. Charles Miller wrote about his experiences in letter to his parents written on December 22, 1862.

Check out the blog for more information!

Charles Miller was born in 1843 to Ransom Randolph Miller and Francis “Fanny” Maria (Warner) Miller of Gates, New York. In August, 1862, he enlisted in

10/24/2025

This week our What's it Wednesday question was, what was one medically accepted way of treating severe burns during the Civil War? The answer was to cover the burn with a mixture of white lead paint and oil.

How did medical staff treat severe burns during the Civil War? to support the channel, please become a member of the fastest growing civil war research commu...

10/23/2025

We have the service record of the 1st Minnesota Infantry from the National Archives digitized and available for research. This includes their Regimental Descriptive and Casualty Book, Consolidated Morning Report and Order Book, as well as company specific Descriptive Books and Morning Reports.

The following is a short summary of the regimental history of the 1st Minnesota Infantry as published as History of the First Regiment Minnesota Volunteer

10/22/2025

For our What's it Wednesday this week, what was one medically accepted way of treating severe burns during the Civil War? Post your answers below and check back Friday for the answer!

10/20/2025

Cornelius Van Houten campaigned for Abraham Lincoln before the war, and in September 1861, he enlisted in Battery B of the 1st New Jersey Light Artillery.

In the early months of his service, Cornelius Van Houten’s duties were most concerned with drilling. Each man had to learn very specific duties in order to load and fire the artillery pieces correctly and efficiently. Still, by November, 1861, he felt he was getting the hang of things and wrote to his mother in a letter dated November 8, 1861.

“This is the first opportunity I have had for writing to you. You must forgive me. We have been so busy getting our guns, horses, and everything, but now we have everything ready for action. We are drilling our best but don’t drill so very hard. We only have to drill three hours a day. It was a great deal harder work to get ready.”

Cornelius Van Houten was born in 1841 to Ruliff “Ralph” Van Houten and Catherine (Van Wagoner) Van Houten of Pompton Plains, New Jersey. Before the war he had

10/17/2025

This week we asked you what the year means when referring to the Re*****on Model 1858. In this case, the model refers to the patent date stamped on the barrel, however the models of revolver did not see wide scale production or service until 1861.

You can see the fully tagged version of the this photo of an unidentified cavalry soldier holding a Re*****on here: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/2910

10/16/2025

The 2nd Delaware Infantry is one of the regiments on the Research Arsenal database that we have their service record from the National Archives digitized and available for research.

2nd Delaware Infantry A Brief Account of the Services Rendered by the Second Regiment Delaware Volunteers in the War of the Rebellion written by Robert G. Smith

10/15/2025

For our What's it Wednesday this week, we're asking what the year means in a model. For example, when people refer to the Model 1858 Re*****on what does that year refer to? The year issued? The year patented? The year adopted? Post your answers below and check back Friday for the answer!

10/13/2025

After taking command of his company, Albert Jenkins Barnard found himself dissatisfied with both lieutenants under his command. The first hint of trouble showed in a letter he wrote to his brother, Lewis, advising him not to enlist unless he could be an officer.

“I don’t think much of my lieutenants and think they will soon be ousted. Let me say here, don’t enlist as a private on any account. Do not accept any position lower than Orderly [Sergeant]. Camp duty is mighty hard, although we have some nice times. You ought not to accept a position lower than 2nd Lieutenant.”

Albert Jenkins Barnard was born in 1841 to Albert Barnard and Elizabeth Atwater (Jenkins) Barnard of Buffalo, New York. His father died in 1849, and he had

10/09/2025

During our scanning session this week, our archivist found a few things to be angry about...The return of the ballpoint pen, tape, and more tape.

This week, we spent a day scanning and cataloging new material for the database, and I found some Angry Archivist disappointments. Tape, ballpoint pen...