The Civil War Sheet Music Collection at the Library of Congress consists of over 2500 pieces culled from the Library's collections, all related to and published during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Many of the lyrics found within these pieces relay narratives of the time and thus provide a unique historical perspective to those researching the period. Additionally, many of the sheet music covers are noteworthy for their visual representations of historical figures and American sentiments during the war. This sampling from the Library's collection includes a selection of Union and Confederate sheet music, as well as 24 pieces by, about, and depicting the women and children left behind as soldiers braved the battlefields.