Provides entries on 872 men and women who influenced public policy, opinion, and events in the Union.

The Civil War and the men and women who lived during that time continue to interest, preoccupy, and bemuse a wide and various population. This volume provides information on 872 men and women of the Union, covering those who influenced the course of public policy, opinion, and events. Coverage of political leaders, such as congressmen and cabinet officers, is comprehensive, while others, such as editors, photographers, and abolitionists, are covered selectively. Military leaders are included for specific contributions to the Union.

Each profile provides biographical information about the person, stressing the war years and offering an assessment of the individual's place in the Union. Each entry concludes with bibliographic sources. Taken together, the profiles illumine those mystic chords of memory that continue to tie us yet to the Civil War generation.