1863

Only hours into the new year of 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Rather than remaining the highlight of the coming months, this act marked only the beginning of the most pivotal year of Lincoln's presidency and the most revolutionary twelve months of the Civil War. In recognition of the sesquicentennial of this tumultuous time, Civil War scholars explore the events and personalities that dominated 1863, providing a unique historical perspective on a critical period in American history.