Historical Research Capabilities
Included in Civil War Maps are some of the maps used by Generals William Tecumseh Sherman and Thomas J. Jackson, also known as "Stonewall" Jackson. Students can increase their historic research capabilities by researching the career or a particular battle of one of these prominent Civil War figures.
After doing this background research, have students search the collection on the name of one general or the name of one of their famous battles. Referring to the relevant maps in the collection, students can see what information the Generals had at their disposal during particular battles. They can also search for maps that might have been used by the general's opponents in the same battle.
This map is labeled: " Official plan of the forts at Hilton Head and Bay Point, Port Royal Harbor, S.C., showing one position of the naval vessels during the action of November 7, 1861." On that day, Captain Samuel F. Dupont's warships silenced Confederate guns in Fort Walker and Fort Beauregard. This victory enabled General Thomas W.Sherman's troops to occupy first Port Royal and then all the famous Sea Islands of South Carolina.
For further historic research, students can search on the same topics in the collection Civil War Photographs.