A few weeks ago I received a very detailed 24-page project and exhibit development plan from my friend and associate Terry Thomann, director of the Civil War Life Soldier's Museum. I am fortunate to sit on the board of the National Civil War Life Foundation with Terry and he was kind enough to invite me to contribute to the new museum’s design as a subject matter expert.
The museum’s envisioned exhibit categories include: Introduction - The parlor 1860, The Militia, Slavery, John Brown, The Infantry, Life in Camp, By the Book, Officer Life, Manufacturing Arms, Life in the Cavalry, Field Music, The Home Front, Life at Sea, Technology and War, Field Surgery, Artillery, The Parlor Part Two, We Drank from the Same Canteen – Reunification, The Civil War Remembered, and Photography in the Civil War.
There are multiple teams assigned to oversee these different categories based upon their specialties. Members include Col. Horace McCaskill Jr., Jeff Campbell, Terry Thomann, Robert Zeller, Daniel S. Goldstein, John Cummings, John Hennessy, Glenn Williams, Dr. Robert R. Mackey, George Wunderlich, Joyce Henry, Robert S. Driscoll, Kevin Hershberger, John H. Thillmann, Al Connor, John Richter, Scott Harper, Dean Levy, David Lenk, Randi Korn, Johanna Jones, Stephanie Downey, and ACE Everett.
At the CWLF we firmly believe there is a need for a cultural asset that will emphasize the impact of the American Civil War on the lives of everyday people who had to fight, support or simply wait for the conflict’s outcome. In perhaps what is the most concentrated area of battlefields and related historic sites, we will offer context; indeed, the National Civil War Life Museum will become the natural first stop for visitors to the Spotsylvania region. Our mission is to bridge the gap between other area attractions that are focused on either key personalities or the tactics of major events.
Every artifact has a unique story to tell—if one knows how to listen. We plan to display and interpret key artifacts in a fashion that will allow the visitor to make their own discoveries. These discoveries will in aggregate, encourage personalized connections between the complex and turbulent 1860’s and our own time. It is our intent to present a platform of opportunities that will encourage this connectivity. Issues of race, the use of special powers in wartime, distinctions between activism and terrorism, the role of the press and the effects of rapid technological development are examples of potential topics that will be presented for visitor consideration.
The theme “Civil War Life” will focus not only on the lives of Civil War soldiers, but the conflict’s impact on the lives of their families. “Slavery” will address the life of enslaved African-Americans in the south and with particular focus on the support that this supposedly southern institution actually received from northern financial and business interests. “Civil War Science” will highlight advances driven by the war principally in the fields of manufacturing, medicine and ordnance technology. “Reunification” will explore veteran’s organizations, reunions and the impact of Reconstruction on the existing and newly freed African-American population. Our content development of these topics will draw upon emerging new scholarship.
My assignment is to review the plans for the Home Front, Life in Camp, and Field Music exhibits and advise the design consultants. I will be spending some time in the coming months researching and reviewing materials for the planned exhibits in the categories that I was assigned. Our preliminary vision for each section has been outlined as follows:
THE HOME FRONT
Most soldiers left family behind. Those at home were forced to cope with uncertainty, loneliness and the possible loss of a loved one. This exhibit will consist of newspapers and letters about civilians and a collection of sheet music and musical instruments that would be found in the home. Period literature and music for home consumption reflected political themes, served as an inspirational boost to civilian morale, and helped families cope with loss. An elective sound feature will include samples of all of the above. A museum figure will display a typical woman in a day dress of the period. The centerpiece of the display will be a circa 1850 square grand piano. This artifact will give us the opportunity to explore the topic of Northern support of and profit from slavery. This occurred in many ways through financial investment and manufacturing. The piano’s ivory keys serve as a connection between ivory processing companies in Connecticut and the ivory/slave trade in Africa. We expect that visitors to the museum will have their perceptions of slavery in America and the world changed by this exhibit.
A sidebar exhibit of Civil War currency and patriotic tokens will illustrate the sentiments of the people of the times. Tokens displaying mottos such as “The Union Must and Shall Be Preserved”, “The Flag of Our Union / If Anyone Attempts to Tear It Down, Shoot Him On the Spot”, “Freedom and NO slavery”, and “Our Army” will displayed along with currency illustrated with scenes of industry and slavery. Statistics will frame the enormous domestic effects of the war. This exhibit supports both the Civil War Life and Slavery themes.
LIFE IN CAMP
As the key theme of the Museum is “Civil War Life”, this exhibit is very important. It is an opportunity to display in situ important personal artifacts illustrating daily life in the field for the basic soldier on both sides. As an example, an artifact as simple as a common tin cup illustrates the importance of Coffee to the soldier who stopped to enjoy a simple cup of coffee at every opportunity. It literally kept them going and was an occasion to gather around a small fire to enjoy the company of comrades. Camp is where the most time was spent. This exhibit consists of artifact groupings integrated into an immersive scenic recreation of a Civil War camp. This camp will occupy approximately 900 square feet of floor space. Within this environment will be examples of shelter tents, officer’s tents, log huts and shebangs (improvised shelters made of sticks and branches). The camp will be populated with uniformed museum figures posed in simulation of typical camp activities. These activities will include cooking, writing letters, standing guard etc. Artifacts on display will be used to illustrate these camp and personal tasks. Supporting artifacts will include; camp lighting, mess equipment, food containers and preparation implements, shaving, sewing and personal grooming items, games and recreation items, religious tracts and bibles, soldier’s letters, diaries and writing equipment. Each of these items will be carefully displayed and interpreted to encourage the visitor to think about its significance to the soldier’s daily life and the comfort derived. All of the items in this display could have been used by either a Northern or Southern soldier; these will not be separated by region.
FIELD MUSIC
This exhibit will focus on music and instruments of regimental bands. Music in camp provided a much-needed link to home and provided a mobile form of entertainment. Both armies used formal bands to strengthen unit identity, boost morale before and even during engagements. The bugle and the drum was a critical and reliable means of transmitting commands instantly to units over the din of battle. A feature of this exhibit will be a collection of original sheet music and band instruments. An elective interactive kiosk will enable the visitor to hear music, bugle and drum calls being played on original instruments. Sound cones and micro-speakers and sound inhibiting panels will be employed in order to avoid sound pollution within the rest of the space.
I will update you periodically on the progress of this important venture. To see how you can help financially support the National Civil War Life Museum, please visit our website at http://www.civilwarlife.org/.