Civil War: Harper’s Weekly 1861 – 1865

Description

Harper’s Weekly and the Civil War

Timeline of Events (1861-1865) Based on Harper’s Weekly Coverage:

• 1857: Harper’s Weekly is founded by Harper & Brothers and becomes the leading weekly newspaper in the United States
• 1859-1860: Thomas Nast, considered the father of the modern American political cartoon, works for Harper’s Weekly
• 1860:Harper’s Weekly circulation reaches 100,000.
• Harper’s Weekly takes a moderate stance on slavery, seeking to maintain readership in the South.
• Harper’s Weekly supports Stephen Douglas in the presidential election, over Abraham Lincoln.
• January 5, 1861: Start date of the Harper’s Weekly collection referenced in the source, marking the beginning of the Civil War era coverage.
• January 1861: Harper’s Weekly publishes a cover (specific content not detailed).
• March 1861: Harper’s Weekly publishes another cover (specific content not detailed).
• May 1861: Harper’s Weekly publishes another cover and includes content about “Bandit John Morgan.”
• Post-1861: Harper’s Weekly shifts to firmly support Lincoln and the Union cause after the start of the Civil War.
• August 1862: Harper’s Weekly reports on Lincoln ordering a draft.
• During the War (1861-1865): Harper’s Weekly’s circulation reaches 200,000.
• During the War (1861-1865): Harper’s Weekly includes reports on the Draft Riots.
• During the War (1861-1865): Harper’s Weekly includes reports on Colonel Robert G. Shaw.
• April 1865: Harper’s Weekly reports on the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
• December 30, 1865: End date of the Harper’s Weekly collection referenced in the source.
• 1866: First publication of “Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War,” which is based on Harper’s Weekly.
• 1894: The 2 volume “Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War” is published by Alfred H. Guernsey and Henry M. Alden, including 1,000 illustrations and maps.
• 1916: Harper’s Weekly ceases publication.

Cast of Characters:

• Thomas Nast:American political cartoonist.
• Worked for Harper’s Weekly from 1859-1860, and again from 1862-1886.
• Known as the father of the modern American political cartoon.
• Stephen Douglas:Democratic nominee for President in 1860.
• Supported by Harper’s Weekly in the 1860 election.
• Abraham Lincoln:Republican nominee, and winner, of the presidential election of 1860.
• President of the United States during the Civil War.
• Assassinated in April 1865.
• Received firm support from Harper’s Weekly after the start of the Civil War.
• John Morgan:Confederate Cavalry General.
• Referred to as a “Bandit” in Harper’s Weekly May 1861 issue.
• Robert G. Shaw:Colonel in the Union Army.
• Mentioned in Harper’s Weekly reports on the Draft Riots.
• Alfred H. Guernsey:Co-author of “Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War” (published in 1894)
• Henry M. Alden:Co-author of “Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War” (published in 1894).

This collection comprises every issue of Harper’s Weekly from the start of 1861 to the end of 1865, totaling 4,176 pages. A leading US newspaper from 1857 to 1916, Harper’s Weekly covered a wide range of topics, including news, fiction, and illustrations, and notably featured Thomas Nast, a pivotal figure in American political cartooning.

Initially aiming for Southern readership, the paper initially held moderate views on slavery, endorsing Stephen Douglas for president in 1860. However, following the war’s outbreak, it strongly backed Lincoln and the Union, seeing its circulation double to 200,000. Beyond the Civil War, the collection documents other significant events of the period, including Lincoln’s assassination.

The set also includes a two-volume, 874-page pictorial history of the Civil War, published in 1894, featuring 1,000 illustrations and covering both military and political aspects of the conflict.