It is true that written accounts, objects and buildings are some examples of the types of evidence that allow archaeologists to study the past. In fact, archaeology is the branch of knowledge that studies human activity through such artifacts, known as "material culture." The examination of such items allow archaeologists to understand how different people interacted with their environment and with each other in the past.
Based on the fact that Charleston Mercury was a southern sympathizer, the editor most likely chooses the name "War of Southern Independence" for the US Civil War.
