This year’s Seward Award announced

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July 21. 2026

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The Civil War Forum of Metropolitan New York is pleased to announce the winner of the 2026 William Henry Seward Award for best book about the Civil War. Congratulations to Professor Bennett Parten for Somewhere Towards Freedom: Sherman’s March and the Story of America’s Largest Emancipation (Simon & Schuster 2025).

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Professor Parten's book sheds new light on a part of the Civil War that most readers are already familiar with: Sherman's March to the Sea. This well-written, deeply-researched  book is compelling and movs the story forward, shifting the focus from the battlefield to emancipation — arguably the most important aspect of the march.

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Other nominations were:

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Lincoln’s Peace: The Struggle to End the American Civil War by Michael Vorenberg.

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Lincoln’s Lady Spymaster: The Untold Story of the Abolitionist Southern Belle Who Helped Win the Civil War by Gerri Willis.

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General Philip H. Sheridan: Life, War and Memory by Jonathan Noyalas.

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The William Henry Seward award is presented annually for the Best Book about the Civil War. The committee is comprised of members of the Civil War Forum of Metropolitan New York. More information can be found on www.cwfmny.com.

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