Civil War Richmond is an online research project designed to collect documents, photographs, and maps pertaining to Richmond, Virginia, during the Civil War.

By using actual documents from the time, we can accurately present life inside the Confederate Capital categorized and in chronological order for the reader. The main categories include Hospitals, Prisons, Other Sites, People, Events, Culture and the Military. These written accounts provide a vivid picture of the people, places and events in Richmond during the Civil War.

About Civil War Richmond

Civil War Richmond, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation engaged in historical research into the City of Richmond during the Civil War. We are dedicated to making this research easily available to other historical researchers and the public.

The original website was launched in the summer of 1997 as an ongoing research project into the City of Richmond during the Civil War. To continue and expand on that goal, this new website was developed in 2014. The purpose is to collect and preserve primary historical sources (documents, photographs, maps, etc.) together in a logical manner, fully cross-referenced.

This website has been developed in consultation and close collaboration with the historian, Michael D. Gorman of Richmond, VA, (Virginia Military Institute, Class of 1998; Virginia Commonwealth University, 2003; National Park Service, 1999-present.) Mike is responsible for applying the highest standards of historical methodology in conducting exhaustive research, the transcription of documents and the collection of information necessary to produce the materials available on this website.

Mike transcribes the documents that are presented here so this website cannot, out of necessity, ever be finished – it is a constant work in progress. The documents speak for themselves.

The overall thrust of Civil War Richmond is focused on actual documentation– it is not a genealogical site, although much of the information here will be useful to genealogists. To break down the overwhelming volume of material, it was decided to use the documents to focus on various categories of Richmond life and allow the reader to come to their own decisions about their meaning - a central purpose was to present these materials and documents without commentary, trusting the individual to make whatever use of them is appropriate.

 Why did the Confederates pick Richmond as their capital?

Mike Gorman of the Richmond National Battlefield Park explains why in this edition of The Civil War in 4 Minutes.

In July 2019, Civil War Richmond began transcribing all of the articles from the Richmond Dispatch's front page column "Local Matters". The articles start at July 15, 1864. This ongoing effort will provide a vivid picture of daily events in Richmond during the Civil War.

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