@sparky said in The American Civil War:
Ken Burns documentary is thorough and beautifully made, but slow. Shelby Foote's three-volume Civil War narrative history is incredibly informative, but at 1.2 million words is quite an investment in time.
Books I would most recommend on US Civil War:
Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson. Excellent on the major combatants and engagements. Written in a lucid and accessible style. Standard recommended work on topic for 25+ years.
This Republic of Suffering by Drew Gilpin Faust. An account of how men suffered how they died and how they were buried in the US Civil War. Extremely moving.
The Fiery Trial by Eric Foner. Superb analysis on Lincoln's changing views on slavery by a master historian.
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Looks at Lincoln's political relationships with Seward and the others who competed with him for the Presidency. It captures well what a superb player of the political game Abraham Lincoln was
Gettysburg is well-worth a visit if you are ever in NYC, Philadelphia or Washington DC. Only a few hours drive from each and an extremely well-presented battlefield. The official guides at Gettysburg are generally excellent. I was fortunate one time to be shown around by a guide who they use for visiting Presidents and Heads of States.
Was there any serious policy of repatriating the ex-slaves back to Africa? Obviously this was done to some extent in Liberia, but I remember it being mentioned at school (probably falsely) that Lincoln's primary goal was repatriation.