Also known as: Official Records.
| Full title | The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records |
|---|---|
| Nature | Published wartime reports, orders, and correspondence |
| Value | Primary source on artillery organization, actions, and returns |
The documentary record
The Official Records, formally The War of the Rebellion, are the great published compilation of Union and Confederate reports, orders, returns, and correspondence issued by the government after the war. They run to many volumes and are a foundation of Civil War research.
For artillery they preserve battle reports, ordnance returns, and correspondence that document the guns present, the ammunition expended, and the part the artillery played in operations.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- U.S. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Washington: GPO, 1880-1901.
- CivilWarArtillery.com research archive: manuals, reports, marking references, and collecting notes.