It may be hard to see through the fog of war, but primary sources describing what happened at the Battle of Saltville during the Civil War shed some light on what happened there. Using primary sources, including descriptions from Confederate and Union soldiers, historians consider whether the engagement was a battle, a massacre, or both. Extension questions help class members think about how wars can be difficult to study and how to interpret primary sources to learn historical truths. 

Concepts

battles of the civil war, the united states civil war, military history, american history, african american history, primary source analysis, primary sources

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Using primary sources, evaluate whether the Battle of Saltville was a military engagement or massacre of African American Union soldiers 
• Extend learning by comparing this engagement to other episodes in history, such as the My Lai Massacre

Classroom Considerations

• Primary sources include some graphic details of the killing of African American soldiers

Pros

• Primary source accounts are engrossing
• Guiding questions help learners scaffold interpretation skills

Cons

• None

Common Core

RH.9-10.3 RH.9-10.7 RH.9-10.9 RH.11-12.3 RH.11-12.7 RH.11-12.9