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.
For some reason, almost no Florida Confederate newspapers from the Civil War have been preserved. Visits to the Florida State University Library and the Florida State Library produced only some 26 issues from 14 newspapers. There were time tables in many of the papers, hitting most of the railroads in the state at least once, but almost no railroad-related articles.
Newspaper Location Microfilm Location Period Reviewed Comments
Advocate Baton Rouge, La. New Orleans Public Library
1/1/61 - 4/30/61
10/15/61
2/4/62
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.
American Citizen Canton, Miss. Mississippi Archives
7/6/61 - 7/13/61
5/2/62 - 12/26/62
1/2/63 - 1/30/63
6/5/63 - 7/12/63
9/19/63 - 9/26/63
11/14/63
Weekly
Arkansas State Gazette Little Rock, Ark. Arkansas Archives
1/5/61 - 6/29/61
6/7/62 - 2/21/63
6/13/63 - 8/29/63
7/1/61 - 6/6/62  only 6 issues
2/22/63 - 6/12/63 all missing
8/30/63 - to end, all missing
Asheville News Asheville, N. C. Charlotte Public Library
No 1861
1/2/62 - 2/20/62
No RR information
Athens Post Athens, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society 2/5/61 - 7/17/63 A few missing issues; no issues after last date
Atlanta Intelligencer Atlanta, Ga. Atlanta Newspapers
7/3/61
8/28/63
9/10/63 - 11/28/63
3/18/64 - 4/2/64
5/11/64
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
 
Caddo Gazette Shreveport, La. New Orleans Public Library 5/3/62
Cahaba Gazette Cahaba, Al. Alabama Archives

5/24/61

5/31/61

7/12/61

7/26/61
Carolina Observer Charlotte, N. C. Charlotte Public Library
1/9/65 - 3/6/65
3/6/65 is last issue at this location
Carolina Spartan Spartanburg, S. C. Winthrop University 1/3/61 - 11/7/61
Carolina Watchman Salisbury, N. C. Charlotte Public Library
1/1/61 - 12/31/64
 

No 1865 issues survive
Iredell County Public Library (Statesville, N. C.)
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
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
Winthrop University
1/1/61 - 1/10/61
4/1/61 - 4/9/61
11/2/63 - 12/31/63
12/5/64 - 1/17/65
11/20 - 11/29/63 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

1/4/61 - 1/18/61
12/6/61
2/1/62
3/7/62
3/21/62 - 4/4/62
 
Clarion Meridian, Miss. Mississippi Archives
6/9/64 - 6/28/64
7/6/64 - 7/8/64
7/19/64
8/1/64 - 8/6/64
9/10/64
10/28/64
12/21/64
1/6/65
1/18/65
3/28/65
 
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
Copiah News Copiah County, Miss. Mississippi Archives

8/21/61
 
Cotton States Gainesville, Fl. Florida Digital Newspaper Library
3/19/64
4/16/64
5/7/64 - 6/18/64
11/26/64
 
Daily Delta New Orleans, La. New Orleans Public Library
1/1/61 - 1/10/61
7/2/61 - 7/6/61
10/1/61 - 10/2/61
12/1/61 - 12/3/61
1/1/62 - 1/3/62
3/1/62 - 3/2/62
4/22/62 - 5/1/62
Very business oriented
Daily State Journal Selma, Al. Alabama Archives

2/16/62
2/23/62
3/20/62
5/11/62
3/8/63
Dallas Herald Dallas, Tex. Dallas Herald 1/1/64 - 4/30/65 Searchable on web
Des Arc Citizen Des Arc, Ark. Arkansas Archives
5/10/61 - 11/20/61
12/25/61
12/25/61 is last war issue held
East Tennessean Knoxville, Tenn. East Tennessee Historical Society 2/27/62  
Edgefield Advertiser Edgefield, S. C. Furman University 6/19/61 - 6/26/61  
Fayette Gazette Fayette, Miss. Mississippi Archives
10/3/62
11/14/62
 
Fayetteville Observer Fayetteville, N. C.

Fayetteville, N. C. Public Library
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
1/2/62 - 5/28/63
1/4/64 - 1/21/65
 
Galveston Tri-Weekly News Galveston, Tex. Baylor University
1/22/61
4/6/61
5/7/61
 
Galveston Weekly News Galveston, Tex. Baylor University
1/12/61
1/31/61
2/14/61
2/28/61 - 3/14/61
8/3/61
8/20/61
1/14/62
4/8/62
 
Gate-City Guardian Atlanta, Ga. Gate-City Guardian
2/12 - 3/2/61
On 3/2/61, changed its name to Southern Confederacy
Gazette and Comet Baton Rouge, La. New Orleans Public Library 1/5/61 - 2/2/61 Weekly
Georgia Weekly Telegraph Macon, Ga. Auburn University
1/31/61
2/7/61
12/20/61
1/23/63
Greensboro Patriot Greensboro, N. C. University of North Carolina at Greensboro
1/3/61 - 6/28/61
1/2/62 - 12/8/64
1/26/65
2/26/65
3/23/65 - 4/6/65
 6/28/61 - 1/2/62 missing on the reel
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
1/11/62
1/14/62
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

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
Mississippi Archives

12/28/64

1/17/65
 
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.
Iredell County Public Library (Statesville, N. C.)
4/23/63
12/17/63
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 - 6/20/63 Searchable on web; scattered issues
Memphis Appeal Memphis, Tenn. Auburn University
1/1/61 - 1/19/61
6/1/61
1/1/62
6/1/62
6/4/62
Memphis Argus Memphis, Tenn. Memphis Public Library
1/5/61 - 2/6/61
4/10/62
4/12/62
4/14/62
4/22/62
5/3/62
5/5/62
5/27/62 - 6/4/62
6/10/62
6/12/62
Daily
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
 
Memphis Bulletin Memphis, Tenn. Memphis Public Library
1/4/61
4/18/61
Mississippian Jackson, Miss. Mississippi Archives
12/20/61 - 12/27/61
1/27/62
6/9/62
7/15/62 - 7/21/62
4/2/63 - 4/3/63
6/21/63
Daily, but only scattered issues survive
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  is almost useless because it is too light and too small to read.
Montgomery Advertiser Montgomery, Ala. Auburn University
12/18/62
12/20/62
3/8/63
5/9/63
6/10/63
11/9/63
12/5/63
12/8/63
2/24/64
4/16/64
4/28/64
5/5/64 - 6/3/64
11/26/64
11/29/64
12/5/64
1/3/65
1/27/65
1/30/65
2/4/65
2/22/65
3/3/65
3/5/65
3/12/65
4/18/65 - 4/22/65
Montgomery Mail Montgomery, Ala.  Auburn University
2/11/61
4/26/61
10/14/62 - 1/7/63
No paper published 1/16/62 to 10/14/62
Natchez Courier Natchez, Miss. Mississippi Archives
3/31/63
 
Natchitoches Union Natchitoches, La. New Orleans Public Library 10/24/61 - 12/25/62
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
Oxford Intelligencer Oxford, Miss. Mississippi Archives
1/1/61 - 1/2/61
1/9/61
5/22/61
No RR
Opelousas Courier Opelousas, La. New Orleans Public Library 1/4/62 - 5/1/65
Port Hudson News Port Hudson, La. Mississippi Archives

2/27/63
 
Panola Star Panola, Miss. Mississippi Archives
1/3/61 - 1/31/61
3/7/61
6/6/61
11/7/61 - 11/14/61
1/23/62
7/2/62
12/17/62 - 12/31/62
Weekly
Pointe Coupee Democrat False River, La. New Orleans Public Library
1/5/61
4/27/61
6/8/61
8/3/61
8/17/61
11/2/61
3/1/62
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
Richmond Sentinel Richmond, Va. Library of Virginia

3/11/63 - 6/30/64
Previously published in Alexandria, Va. 3/11/63 is first Richmond issue
Savannah Morning News Savannah, Ga. Auburn University
1/1/61
1/3/61
6/1/61
6/3/61
12/2/61
1/1/62
6/2/62
6/30/62
1/3/63
6/1/63 - 6/4/64
12/31/64
No issues held from 7/1/61 - 12/31/62
Selma Morning Reporter Selma, Al. Alabama Archives
4/4 - 25/61
5/2/61
6/1 - 15/61
8/11/62 - 1/21/63
3/26 - 6/22/64
7/19/64
8/13 - 30/64
2/7/65
Southern Confederacy Atlanta, Ga. Southern Confederacy

3/4 - 8/11/61

1/9 - 8/26/62

9/28/62

10/4 - 5/62

11/2 -12/7/62

1/8 - 7/23/63

5/29/64

6/10 - 25/64

7/8 - 9/64
Southern Crisis Jackson, Miss. Mississippi Archives
1/1/63 - 1/3/63
2/26/63 - 3/2/63
 
States-Rights Eagle Camden, Ark. Arkansas Archives 6/4/61  
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

Wilson, N. C. 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
Vicksburg Citizen Vicksburg, Miss. Vicksburg Public Library  1/1/61 - 12/23/61 Scattered issues
Vicksburg Whig Vicksburg, Miss. Mississippi Archives
2/25/62 - 5/3/63
 
Washington Telegraph Washington, Ark. Arkansas Archives
1/15/62 - 6/11/62
11/26/62 - 12/17/62
10/28/63 - 12/2/63
Weekly
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
West Tennessee Whig Jackson, Tenn. Memphis Public Library
1/18/61
1/29/61
3/8/61
3/29/61
5/17/61
6/7/61
6/21/61
7/12/61
7/19/61
8/30/61
9/6/61
9/27/61
11/22/61
11/29/61
1/3/62
3/28/62
4/25/62
Weekly
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
 
Winchester Virginian Winchester, Va. Google Newspaper Archives
9/26/61
2/19/62
The only 2 issues at this source
Wilmington Journal Wilmington, N. C. Charlotte Public Library 1/1/61 - 1/30/64 News on 4 local railroads
Woodville Republican Woodville, Miss. Mississippi Archives
7/13/61
6/28/62
12/19/63
8/27/64
 
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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