The Civil War: A Visual History

A fully revised and updated guide to America's bloodiest and most divisive conflict - 165 years on.

Comprehensive and packed with contemporary paintings, photographs, maps, and important artefacts, The American Civil War explores the history, causes, and consequences of the war - with eyewitness accounts from soldiers and civilians, profiles of military leaders and other key figures, and timelines that give an overview of the changing course of the fighting.

Fully revised and updated, The American Civil War is packed with information on the course of the battle and locations of particular importance, with detailed coverage of related topics such as slavery and the treatment of wounded soldiers, providing a rich and detailed account of one of the most controversial conflicts ever fought.

In this book, you will find:

• More than 500 images, including dramatic battlefield paintings and photographs, and galleries of weapons, equipment, and other artefacts
• First-hand accounts of the conflict from soldiers and civilians alike
• Fascinating biographies of important figures - from Abraham Lincoln to Jefferson Davis
• Detailed coverage of broader subjects, such as the treatment of prisoners, and what the war meant for women, American Indians, and Black Americans

Publishing in 2026, ahead of America 250 - the 250th anniversary of the founding of the USA -alongside DK's The American Revolution and The History of the USA Year by Year, this is the ultimate guide to the American Civil War, which started 65 years later in 1861.

Author: DK
Publisher: DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley)
Published: 05/05/2026
Pages: 360
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 4.10lbs
Size: 11.20h x 9.50w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9780593963517

About the Author
DK was founded in London in 1974 and is now the world's leading illustrated reference publisher and part of Penguin Random House, formed on July 1, 2013. DK publishes highly visual, photographic nonfiction for adults and children. DK produces content for consumers in over 87 countries and in 62 languages, with offices in Delhi, London, Melbourne, Munich, New York, and Toronto. DK's aim is to inform, enrich, and entertain readers of all ages, and everything DK publishes, whether print or digital, embodies the unique DK design approach. DK brings unrivalled clarity to a wide range of topics with a unique combination of words and pictures, put together to spectacular effect. We have a reputation for innovation in design for both print and digital products. Our adult range spans travel, including the award-winning DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, history, science, nature, sport, gardening, cookery, and parenting. DK's extensive children's list showcases a fantastic store of information for children, toddlers, and babies. DK covers everything from animals and the human body, to homework help and craft activities, together with an impressive list of licensing titles, including the bestselling LEGO(R) books. DK acts as the parent company for Alpha Books, publisher of the Idiot's Guides series and Prima Games, video gaming publishers, as well as the award-winning travel publisher, Rough Guides.