[Air-L] Question about communication history

Not an internet question, but maybe people are familiar enough with communications technology to give some pointers: I've gotten REALLY into communications infrastructure history recently. There's a ton documented on World War 1 and 2, but less on the American Civil War. I'm looking specifically for documentation of non-war communication tools: less about war participants and more about ordinary people's communication patterns (letters, telegraph, photography, newspapers, etc.). Namely, what was an American before and during the Civil War doing to learn about the state of the nation? Does anyone have any good sources to look at? Thanks! Alex