Publication of Note | March 2026

James Marten. “The Sixth Wisconsin and the Long Civil War: The Biography of a Regiment.” Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2025.

*Throughout 2026, the “Publication of Note” portion of the newsletter will feature some of the director’s favorite books published in 2025.

Regimental histories have been and always will be an essential source for Civil War historians. While all regiments offer tremendous insight into the experiences of a regiment in camp, on the march, and on the battlefield, there has been a recent trend among historians to use regimental histories as opportunities to explore other aspects of the conflict, particularly the war’s toll on the men who fought it and the families they left behind.

James Marten, among the nation’s most distinguished historians, contributes significantly to our understanding of the war’s impact on soldiers, families, communities, veterans, and historical memory through the lens of the Sixth Wisconsin Infantry. Marten’s deep analysis of nearly 2,000 individuals who served in that storied regiment is powerful and humanizes the conflict in a way that few books do. This book should be regarded as a foundational text for understanding the reality of life for Civil War soldiers, both during the conflict and in its aftermath.

If you would like to learn more about this book, one of my favorites published in 2025, please visit https://uncpress.org/9781469684239/the-sixth-wisconsin-and-the-long-civil-war/