Question of the Week: 11/27-12/4/17
It’s CyberMonday! Time to start shopping for great deals (on new history books, of course).
Our question today is a little wishfully ideal, but have fun with your answers:
If you could purchase any item from the Civil War era (examples: documents, clothing, mementos, weaponry, portrait or photograph, etc. etc.), what would you buy and add to your “personal museum” collection?
Jeb Stuart’s LeMat pistol – Michael Aubrecht
My greatgrandfather’s uniform and rifle. He was a lowly private in the 202nd PA but he is my only ancestor who fought on either side.
I’d love to see the original of my ancestor’s parole signed by General Canby at Mobile. He had travelled a long way from northwest Arkansas.
Who was your ancestor? I’m assuming he was Confederate. If so, many original documents are in the compiled service records of Confederate soldiers at the National Archives in DC. I have viewed and held many of the original documents of one of my CSA ancestors there.
The original surrender document signed by Lee and Grant
A fully functional Spencer or Henry rifle.
Grant’s “‘Unconditional Surrender” response, to Buckner’s request for terms at Fort Donelson..
I would gladly purchase a photograph of or letters written by my great-great grandfather, Thomas Jordan Dunnahoo, who was a second lieutenant in company H of Cobb’s Legion Cavalry Battalion from Athens, GA. He was killed near Raleigh, NC on April 12, 1865, during the Carolinas Campaign.
Stonewall’s horse Little Sorrel. Man, what a conversation piece that would be. Or Lincoln’s hat!
The flag of the 21st Mississippi.
Confederate Whitworth Sniper Rifle with Scope
The gold circlet Colonel Elmer Ellsworth wore when he was shot–“Non Solum Nobis sed Pro Patria.” It was driven into his chest when he was shot.
Hmm… I’m thinking I’d like to find any original photograph of the McGuire Ladies from Winchester, Virginia. Their images have been quite elusive thus far in my studies, but I’m hopeful!
I would purchase the Four Apostles: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John currently located on the parade ground at VMI. So named by Episcopal rector Col. William Nelson Pendleton “because they spoke a powerful language”. (Part of the 1st Rockbridge Artillery.) I took 3 of my grandsons (ages 6, 9 and 11) to see them this past Saturday. Their father is a pastor in Canada. They were absolutely enthralled.
Colonel Keith Gibson holds forth on the Four Apostles here: http://www.vmi.edu/news/headlines/2016-2017/matthew-mark-luke-and-john-return.php
I agree, the original document of the Lee surrender to Grant.
The Gettysburg Battlefield. Then I would spend the rest of my life walking the sacred areas and trying to feel what all those men felt from various positions on various days. And of course I would carry a metal detector with me to hopefully find any artifacts not necessarily of financial value, but the kind of value that only a historian would see in a certain piece
Either Dan Sickles’ amputated leg or Stonewall Jackson’s amputated arm 🙂
Seriously, though, i’d buy the signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. .