Dispatch from Washington
The Civil War was well documented by newspaper corespondents from both sides. The wide spread use of the telegraph permited journalists to report almost in real time the outcome of major battles and military engagements. Reporters were allowed to follow the armies as well as photographers and illustrators who captured stunning images of the war. Families worried about their loved ones serving far away from home scanned the daily headlines for news from the front.
Today, these newspaper accounts provide a valuable insight to the daily military activities that were occuring in the United States so long ago. Many local papers encouraged soldiers to "write" home and report on life in the army. These quasi journalists took on some interesting num de plumes like "Hyghe Pryvate" of "Bould Soger." But their words still resonate and provide a "human" perspective of the war and its impact on the everyday soldier.
In Arlington, the major newspapers of the day, like the New York Times and Harper's Weekly were quite active in reporting the skirmishes and small military engagements that were taking place near Upton's Hill.