As it relates to the American Civil War the question is not if you can find material on the topic but if you can narrow the topic down. I have included here many comprehensive searchable web sites that you can utlize to research the many topics of the American Civil War. There is a mixture of primary as well as secondary material here.
Wikipedia's Origins of the American Civil War is a good introduction to the reasons behind the war and their more extensive entry American Civil War is a good overview of the entire period. Included here are notes sections and reference lists.
The Civil War @ Smithsonian takes the form of an online exhibit with photographs and letters detailing various topics related to the war like slavery, the first act of war, weapons used, life at war, and etc...
Civil War photographs from the Library of Congress American Memory online exhibits. Included here are authentic images from the Library of Congress's extensive archive.
Civil War maps from the Library of Congress American Memory online exhibits. Included here are authentic maps from the Library of Congress's extensive archive. You can search the Library of Congress American Memory site for more Civil War collections.
Coverage of the Civil War from the National Archives. Here you will find mostly links to photographs with extensive descriptions.
The Civil War Home Page is an extensive and comprehensive searchable site that includes such things as regimental histories, personal letters, photographs, maps, and statistics.
