Through Their Eyes: Different Lives Shaped by the Civil War by Sonali Kaneriya

“Our Women and the War” by Winslow Homer

skaneriya — 2024-12-15 17:33:53 UTC

"Our Women and the War" is an engraving by Winslow Homer in 1862. The image depicts women's roles while their husbands were deployed in the war. During the war, women were eager to support the Union, and they did so by organizing items for the troops, creating sewing circles, and volunteering as nurses. The women in this engraving are bringing comfort to those on the battlefront, and they believed helping soldiers was their duty during the war. -Sonali

Sarah Blunt

skaneriya — 2024-12-15 17:49:33 UTC

Sarah Blunt, a nurse in Union Army Hospitals in MD and VA, wrote a series of letters to her mother describing her experience during the war. In this letter, Blunt describes the intense array of emotions she feels while witnessing so much death and violence. During this era, Sarah Blunt and many other women made large sacrifices to protect the Union and support soldiers on the battlefront. -Sonali

General Ulysses S. Grant's Account of the Siege of Vicksburg (1863)

armaansethi18 — 2024-12-15 19:55:27 UTC

In General Ulysses S. Grant Personal Memoirs, he recounts the moment when Confederate forces in Vicksburg showed white flags of surrender on July 3, 1863. This important event not only marked a major Union victory but also liberated thousands of enslaved individuals who sought protection and freedom within Union lines. The account shows both the military significance of Vicksburg and its transformative impact on enslaved people.

Grant’s observations show the physical and emotional toll of the campaign, the resilience of Union forces, and the symbolic importance of Vicksburg’s surrender on Independence Day. The victory strengthened the Union cause and signaled the collapse of Confederate control along the Mississippi River. - Armaan Sethi

Letter from Jourdon Anderson to His Former Master (1865)

armaansethi18 — 2024-12-15 20:13:05 UTC

In this letter, Jourdon Anderson, a formerly enslaved man, responds to his former master's request to return to work on the plantation. He writes in a tone that combines politeness and irony/humor, Anderson outlines his conditions for return, including back pay for his years of unpaid labor. This letter shows the complexities of the post-emancipation relationship between freed individuals and their former enslavers, showing the demand for justice and fair treatment. The letter shows the economic exploitation enslaved individuals faced for decades and shows the new dynamics emerging between freed slaves and former enslavers. His request for back pay also puts light on the larger problem freed slaves faced in securing economic independence and justice. The letter symbolizes both the personal and collective determination of freedmen to reclaim their agency and demand fair treatment in the post-emancipation South. The letter shows a clear example of the changing relationships between former masters and freed slaves. - Armaan Sethi

A Dead Confederate Soldier in Petersburg, Virginia

2024-12-16 15:05:02 UTC

This Confederate soldier's body was left and found in a random trench in Fort Mahone, Petersburg, Virginia. There were no other bodies around, just this single soldier lying with his gun. The gruesome nature of the war made scenes like this possible because there was no time to bring back your dead comrade. You would run the risk of losing your life too. People never truly understood what it was like to be a soldier in the midst of battle because we never got to hear from some of them. The people who made it only got to share their stories while the people who died on the battlefield, like this soldier with no name, were never given the chance because of the war. -Nasir Yankey

Union soldiers at Point Lookout, Tennessee

2024-12-16 15:21:12 UTC

Point Lookout was an outcropping on Lookout Mountain overlooking the town of Chattanooga. This location is famous for the Battle of Lookout Mountain occurring from November 23-25 of 1863. Lookout Mountain was held by Confederate forces and used to shell the Union town of Chattanooga. The battle ended with Union forces successfully attacking and routing Confederate troops from Point Lookout and the rest of mountain. This print depicts the Union triumph which can clearly be seen with the inclusion of an American flag over what was Confederate territory. It also depicts a turning course of the war as this victory enabled Chattanooga to be a supply hub that supported the Union march through Georgia and North Carolina, leading to the liberation of slaves and the reunification of the country. - Charlie Holtman

Letter from Tilton C. Reynolds to Juliana Smith Reynolds, September 22, 1861

2024-12-16 15:47:18 UTC

This letter is by Tilton C. Reynolds to his mother Juliana Smith Reynolds. Reynolds is most likely a young soldier attached to the Army of the Potomac camped a few miles from D.C. This letter describes daily life in a Union camp in the beginning of the war. Reynolds' thoughts about the regiments passing through the camp demonstrates the common belief at the start of the Civil War that a Union victory would be quick. Many young soldiers, potentially due to their youth, thought that the Union would be vastly more powerful than the Confederacy and that the war would not consume the lives of so many soldiers. However, this belief was shattered among soldiers and civilians as little progress was made in the first few years. This letter suggests that Reynolds did not expect the scale of the war that he became involved in and provides another lense to view the war aside from the writings of Union commanders and leaders. - Charlie Holtman

Letter written by Lt. Col. C.T. Trowbridge of the 33rd U.S. Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.)

2024-12-16 15:52:12 UTC

This is a letter written by Lt. Col. C.T. Trowbridge of the 33rd U.S. Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) to his friend Jack, describing a series of violent incidents targeting Black soldiers and officers in the post-Civil War South. In this letter, he explains how the violent attacks against his soldiers were extremely prejudiced against black soldiers specifically. This caused Trowbridge to retaliate against one of the Confederate soldiers who murdered one of his soldiers. He was later sent to court for this action because of the continued Confederate ideals of black people during this time. Confederate soldiers continued to resist Black military presence and equality which illustrates the brutal racial tensions and resistance to emancipation by Confederate soldiers. - Nasir Yankey

Excerpt from Frederick Douglass’ Speech “Men of Color, To Arms!” (1863)

armaansethi18 — 2024-12-16 16:08:47 UTC

This speech, delivered by Frederick Douglass, passionately calls on African American men to join the Union Army during the Civil War. Douglass argues that this is a "golden opportunity" for Black men to fight for their freedom, prove their equality, and forever end the bondage of their enslaved brethren. By referencing historical figures like Denmark Vesey, Nat Turner, and John Brown, Douglass reminds his audience of the sacrifices already made and inspires them to rise to the occasion. This source shows the critical role of freedmen and free Black individuals in the Union's fight against slavery. Douglass’ words reflect the urgency of the moment and the belief that participation in the war would secure not only military victory but also political and social justice for African Americans. It shows the broader theme of African Americans actively shaping their own liberation through courage and sacrifice. - Armaan Sethi

Letter written by a Confederate soldier W.J. Estill on February 11th, 1865

2024-12-18 01:18:48 UTC

This is a letter written by a Confederate soldier named W.J. Estill on February 11th, 1865, near the end of the American Civil War. In this letter, he talks about how he was initially against having black soldiers in the military because of previous racist Confederate beliefs. Now that the war is getting worse for the Confederacy he laments about his earlier beliefs and concludes that black soldiers are their best chance at turning the tide in the war. This change in identity that the Confederate soldiers had during this time because of their situation was a pivotal moment in the Civil War. - Nasir Yankey

Organization of Exhibit Diagram

armaansethi18 — 2024-12-18 01:48:11 UTC

-Armaan Sethi

skaneriya — 2024-12-18 02:16:33 UTC

Between 1800 and 1865, the United States underwent profound political, social, and economic transformations. During the early 19th century, territorial boundaries expanded, industrialization in the North increased, and plantation slavery in the South became further entrenched in society. The U.S. economy began to transform with the rise of factories, the cotton gin, and innovations in transportation. However, conflicts over slavery and states’ rights increasingly divided the nation, as the North industrialized, while the South remained heavily reliant on an economy rooted in slavery. These divisions ultimately culminated in the Civil War, which was fought between the Union (Northern states) and the Confederacy (Southern states that seceded). - Sonali

nyankey — 2024-12-18 13:16:38 UTC

This museum features letters, photographs, speeches, and more from the Civil War era displaying how the lives of Union and Confederate soldiers, freed black people, and women have been affected. Overall you get to see these sides of the Civil War that aren’t always the first thought of. Through our museum exhibits, you will see how each of these groups contributed in some way to the Civil War. Our exhibit shows you a different side of the war that most people don’t see, but needs to be brought to light to fully understand the war. - Nasir Yankey

Walking Through Museum

armaansethi18 — 2024-12-18 14:33:44 UTC

The entrance to the museum starts with the Union Soldiers exhibit. This is because Union soldiers represent the foundation of the Union cause and their military efforts to preserve the nation. Here, visitors will see artifacts such as letters and prints depicting battles like Lookout Mountain, where Union success turned the tide of the war.

Next, visitors move to the Freed Blacks exhibit. Placing this exhibit second highlights the direct impact of Union victories on the liberation of enslaved individuals. Artifacts like Jourdon Anderson’s letter and accounts of freedmen during campaigns like Vicksburg showcase how the war became a fight for freedom and justice for African Americans.

The third exhibit focuses on United States Women, showing their important, often overlooked roles during the war. Letters from nurses like Sarah Blunt and images of women organizing support for soldiers illustrate their sacrifices and contributions on the homefront and battlefield hospitals.

The museum ends with the Confederate Soldiers exhibit. This shows the somber realities of the war’s devastation, with artifacts such as letters from Confederate soldiers and images of fallen soldiers. It reflects the emotional toll and ultimate defeat of the Confederacy, reinforcing the broader transformation of American society.

This progression—Union Soldiers → Freed Blacks → US Women → Confederate Soldiers—tells a chronological and thematic story. It starts with the fight to preserve the Union, moves to emancipation and societal change, and ends with the war's consequences, leaving visitors with a deeper understanding of how the Civil War reshaped America. - Armaan Sethi

2024-12-18 16:45:30 UTC

The Civil War, which took place from 1861-1865, was driven by disputes over slavery and sectionalism, resulting in significant deaths among both parties, economic devastation, and eventually the abolition of slavery. In late December of 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the United States. Following this secession, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas left the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. The Civil War began when Confederate forces opened fire on Union controlled Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. This attack initiated a four year long war that included about two and half million soldiers and caused the deaths of about 800,000 soldiers. On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union forces. This initiated a rapid string of surrenders from other Confederate generals that brought the end of the Confederacy. The Civil War officially ended on August 20, 1866 when President Andrew Johnson declared that the rebellion had ended. - Charlie Holtman

2024-12-18 16:46:14 UTC

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Anderson, Jourdon. “Jourdon Anderson Writes His Former Enslaver, 1865.” The American Yawp Reader, 7 Aug. 1865, www.americanyawp.com/reader/reconstruction/jourdon-anderson-writes-his-former-master-1865/.

“Chattanooga Battle Facts and Summery.” American Battlefield Trust, www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/chattanooga.

“Grant Remembers the Surrender and Victory at Vicksburg.” American Battlefield Trust, www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/grant-remembers-surrender-and-victory-vicksburg.

Grant, Ulyssess S. “Gen. Ulysses S. Grant on the Siege of Vicksburg, 1863.” Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/gen-ulysses-s-grant-siege-vicksburg-1863. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.

Grant, Ulysses S. “Letter from Ulysses S. Grant to Henry W. Halleck (July 14, 1864).” Encyclopedia Virginia, 14 July 1864, encyclopediavirginia.org/primary-documents/letter-from-ulysses-s-grant-to-henry-w-halleck-july-14-1864/.

Homer, Winslow. “‘Our Women and the War,’ an Engraving by Winslow Homer Published in Harper’s Weekly, 1862.” Digital Public Library of America, 1862, dp.la/primary-source-sets/women-in-the-civil-war/sources/813.

Johnson, Eastman. “The Girl I Left Behind Me.” Smithsonian American Art Museum, 1872, americanart.si.edu/artwork/girl-i-left-behind-me-11492.

Kiter, Tammy. “Women in Nursing during the Civil War.” The New York Historical, 25 Mar. 2016, www.nyhistory.org/blogs/women-in-nursing-during-the-civil-war.

“Letter By a Rebel Soldier.” Library of Congress, 11 Feb. 1865, tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/gdc/gdccrowd/mss/mss13375/002/04/00204.txt.

“Men of Color to Arms?” Virginia Museum of History & Culture, virginiahistory.org/learn/men-color-arms.

Queen, James Fuller. “Union Soldiers at Point Lookout, Tennessee .” Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/resource/ds.00298/.

Reynolds , Tilton C. “Letter from Tilton C. Reynolds to Juliana Smith Reynolds, September 22, 1861.” The Library of Congress, 22 Sept. 1861, www.loc.gov/resource/mreynolds.002002/?st=text.

Roche, T C. “A Dead Confederate Soldier.” The Library of Congress, 1865, www.loc.gov/resource/stereo.1s04682/.

“‘Men of Color, to Arms! To Arms,’ 1863.” “Men of Color, To Arms! To Arms,” 1863 , Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/men-color-arms-arms-1863.