William Wood was a 20th century American writer who wrote a bunch of works about American history, including titles on the Civil War and the Indian Wars. In 1921, William Wood released Captains of the Civil War: A Chronicle of the Blue and the Gray as part of the Chronicle of America series. As Wood notes, his book corresponded with the 60th anniversary of the war, and though the Civil War involved politics, Wood only wanted to cover the military aspect of the war. Separating the military aspects of the war from the civilian and political causes was a common practice among historians in the early 20th century, as the country underwent sectional reconciliation between North and South by glossing over divisive issues like slavery.