Newspapers Reviewed in Detail
Reviewing every issue of a newspaper is exhausting and very time consuming. Reviewing every page of a single newspaper that published 4 pages each of six days a week for the entire war requires looking at over 5,000 microfilm pages. Each page must be reviewed in 4 views (1/4 of the page on the screen at one time), so almost 20,000 views must be made to cover the entire war in one newspaper.
Reviewing the newspapers is essential to understanding the railroads in the war because many schedule changes, accidents, company decisions, and local conditions are only found in the newspapers. Local editors were anxious to cover the area's great public work, of which they had frequently been a recent booster.
Below are the newspapers I have reviewed to some considerable extent, along with the location of the microfilm copy I used. Since I am actively searching through newspapers, this table will change frequently.
Newspaper Location Microfilm Location Period Reviewed Comments
Alexandria Gazette Alexandria, Va. Fairfax County Public Library, Fairfax, Va. 1/1/61 - 5/25/61 The paper ceased publishing when the Union took over Alexandria; a Union paper of the same name started publishing months later.
Athens Post Athens, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society 2/5/61 - 7/17/63 A few missing issues; no issues after last date
Asheville News Asheville, N. C. Charlotte Public Library
No 1861
1/2/62 - 2/20/62
No RR information
Augusta Constitutionalist Augusta, Ga.
Duke University
Furman University
1/1/61 - 1/31/61
7/2/61 - 7/31/61
1/1/62 - 1/31/62
7/1/62 - 7/2/62
7/1/63 - 7/31/63
1/1/64 - 1/31/64
5/1/64 - 4/21/65
Daily 
Bristol Advocate Bristol, Va. East Tennessee Historical Society 8/14/62  
Bristol Gazette Bristol, Va. East Tennessee Historical Society
2/18/64
3/18/64
3/31/64
5/19/64
 
Carolina Observer Charlotte, N. C. Charlotte Public Library
1/9/65 - 3/6/65
3/6/65 is last issue at this location
Carolina Watchman Salisbury, N. C. Charlotte Public Library 1/12/63 - 2/16/63  
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
1/4/64 - 12/26/64
No 1865 issues survive
Charlottesville Chronicle Charlottesville, Va. Duke University 19 issues scattered through 1864 1864 first year of publication; daily
Charleston Courier Charleston, S. C.
Duke University
Florence Public Library
1/1/61 - 1/10/61
4/1/61 - 4/9/61
11/2/63 - 12/31/63
11/20 - 11/29 missing
Charleston Mercury Charleston, S. C. Charlotte Public Library 7/1 - 7/2/61  
Charlotte Bulletin Charlotte, N. C. Charlotte Public Library 1/9/62 - 2/6/62  
Christian Sun Suffolk, Va. Elon (N. C.) University Library

1/4/61 - 1/18/61
12/6/61
2/1/62
3/7/62
3/21/62 - 4/4/62
 
Cleveland Banner Cleveland, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society
5/24/61 - 5/31/61
3/14/62
 
Columbia South Carolinian Columbia, S. C. University of South Carolina  2/26/61 - 4/30/65 250 scattered issues of a daily
Columbus Enquirer Columbus, Ga. Columbus Enquirer 1/1/64 - 4/30/65 Searchable on web
Cotton States Gainesville, Fl. Florida Digital Newspaper Library
3/19/64
4/16/64
5/7/64 - 6/18/64
11/26/64
 
Dallas Herald Dallas, Tex. Dallas Herald 1/1/64 - 4/30/65 Searchable on web
East Tennessean Knoxville, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society 2/27/62  
Edgefield Advertiser Edgefield, S. C. Furman University 6/19/61 - 6/26/61  
Fayetteville Observer Fayetteville, N. C. University of North Carolina at Greensboro 1/4/64 - 1/21/65  
Greensboro Patriot Greensboro, N. C. University of North Carolina at Greensboro
1/2/62 - 12/8/64
1/26/65
2/26/65
3/23/65 - 4/6/65
 
Greenville Patriot & Mountaineer Greensboro, S. C. Furman University 1/3/61 - 3/14/61 A weekly with no RR information
Hamilton Rebel Hamilton, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society 12/31/62  
Hamilton Gazette & Advertiser Hamilton, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society
1/14/62
1/11/62
1/25/62
 
Hartsville Vidette Hartsville, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society
3/18/62
8/24/62
8/28/62
 
Hillsboro Recorder Hillsboro, N. C. Elon (N. C.) University Library

1/8/62 - 2/12/62
 
Holston Journal Knoxville, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society
2/26/63
3/12/63
5/7/63
6/11/63
6/18/63
7/16/63
7/30/63
8/6/63
 
Houston Telegraph Houston, Tex. Houston Telegraph 1/1/61 - 5/1/65 Searchable on web
Huntsville Confederate Huntsville, Ala. Mobile Public Library
10/8/62 - 10/29/62
3/26/63 - 5/14/63
 
Iredell Express Statesville, N. C. University of North Carolina at Greensboro
6/4/63
12/3/63
12/10/63
3/3/64
2/9/65
3/30/65
4/18/65
These are the only known surviving issues.
Jonesborough Telegraph Jonesborough, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society 2/6/64  
Jonesborough Express Jonesborough, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society
1/25/61
5/31/61
10/31/61
8/15/62
1/30/63
3/6/63
7/3/63
8/28/63
 
Jonesborough Union Jonesborough, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society
5/4/61
5/24/62
 
Knoxville Bulletin Knoxville, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society 9/15/63  
Knoxville Register Knoxville, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society
7/5/62
9/26/62 - 12/16/62
5/12/63
 
Knoxville Southern Chronicle Knoxville, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society
7/21/63
7/25/63
8/21/63
 
Lynchburg Republican Lynchburg, Va. East Tennessee Historical Society
6/20/62
6/21/62
 
Lynchburg Virginian Lynchburg, Va. Lynchburg Public Library 1/1/63 - 2/28/63  

 
Norfolk Public Library 8/1/64 - 3/24/65
Macon Telegraph Macon, Ga. Macon Telegraph 1/1/61 - 5/1/65 Searchable on web
Memphis Avalanche Memphis, Tenn. Memphis Public Library
1/19/61 - 2/1/61
4/15/61 - 4/28/61
8/1/61 - 8/22/61
Because of lack of time, I only checked a few dates
Mobile Advertiser & Register Mobile, Ala. Furman University
1/18/62 - 4/30/62
6/9/63 - 6/26/63
1/1/64 - 1/19/64
5/1/64 - 5/26/64
5/26/64 is the last issue on this reel and at this location
Mobile Public Library 5/27/64 - 7/9/64 This microfilm set is almost useless because it is too light and too small to read.
New Bern Progress New Bern, N. C. University of North Carolina at Greensboro
1/1/61
1/1/62 - 1/13/62
 
New Orleans Bee New Orleans, La. Furman University 1/1/62 - 1/3/62  
New Orleans Commercial Bulletin New Orleans, La. Furman University 1/1/62 - 1/14/62  
New Orleans Times Picayune New Orleans, La. Furman University

10/1/61 - 10/3/61

1/1/62 - 4/30/62
A daily with some RR coverage
New Orleans True Delta New Orleans, La. New Orleans True Delta 1/1/61 - 5/1/65 Searchable on web
Raleigh Conservative Raleigh, N. C. Raleigh Public Library 4/22/64 - 6/7/64 A daily with very little railroad news
Raleigh Confederate Raleigh, N. C. Raleigh Public Library
1/26/64 - 6/10/64
10/1/64 - 4/11/65
A daily with little railroad news
Raleigh Register

 

 Raleigh, N. C.

 
Duke University
Raleigh Public Library

 

 10/1/61 - 8/29/63 This paper has little local news. About 16 issues of this twice weekly paper are missing up to the last date reviewed. No issues after that date are available
Raleigh Standard Raleigh, N. C. Raleigh Public Library 1/2/63 - 12/29/63  
Raleigh State Journal Raleigh, N. C. Raleigh Public Library
1/2/61 - 2/3/61
6/1/61 - 6/29/61
1/1/62 - 11/19/63
Full of the text of laws, speeches, and legislative debates.
Richmond Dispatch Richmond, Va. Richmond Daily Dispatch 1/1/61 - 4/30/65 Searchable on the web
Talladega Alabama Reporter Talladega, Ala. Mobile Public Library 8/27/63 - 4/27/65  
Talladega Democratic Watchtower Talladega, Ala. Mobile Public Library 10/28/63 - 3/6/64  
Tarboro Southerner Tarboro, N. C. Raleigh Public Library 1/1/61 - 4/30/65 Only 63 issues of this weekly paper exist, scattered throughout the 222 weeks of the war.
The Local News Alexandria, Va. Fairfax County Public Library, Fairfax, Va.

10/7-12/61

12/13/61

1/14/62

1/23/62
 
Tuscaloosa Independent Monitor Tuscaloosa, Ala. Mobile Public Library 1/22/61 & 3/22/61  
Tuscaloosa Observer & Flag of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Ala. Mobile Public Library
3/27/61 & 5/22/61 & 6/19/61
4/27/64
 
Tuskegee South Western Baptist Tuskegee, Ala. Mobile Public Library
5/22/62 - 6/5/62
5/7/63 - 5/14/63
Mostly religious material
Weekly Message Greensboro, N. C. Charlotte Public Library 3/29/61 - 10/13/63
Mostly religious
No RR news
28 weekly issues -- 23 of them in 1863
No issues held after 10/63
Western Democrat Charlotte, N. C. University of North Carolina at Charlotte
1/1/61 - 2/26/61
1/7/62 - 2/5/62
1/6/63 - 4/5/64
 
Wilmington Journal Wilmington, N. C. Charlotte Public Library 1/1/61 - 7/31/63 News on 4 local railroads
Yorkville Enquirer Yorkville, S. C. Charlotte Public Library
1/6/61 - 1/10/61
12/5/61 - 6/3/63
12/2/63 - 3/16/64
12/7/64 - 4/26/65
 

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