New Exhibit at American Civil War Museum in Richmond

Check out all the details and more articles at the ACWM website:

On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln’s Final Emancipation Proclamation authorized “persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the United States.” As a result, the regiments of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) were formed, and the fight to save the Union also became their fight for citizenship. During the last two years of the war, these regiments led by white officers, fought in numerous actions, and major battles. More than 185,000 men served in the USCT by the war’s end, making up about 10% of the Union Army. 

The artifacts featured in Beyond Valor have never been on display, and are either directly connected to the regiments involved in the Battle of Forks Road or are items that were typically used by USCT soldiers. Objects directly associated with USCT soldiers are exceedingly rare.

Beyond Valor is a result of a collaboration with the Cameron Art Museum (CAM) Boundless art installation and the call for descendants of the 1st, 5th, 10th, 27th, and 37th USCT who fought in the Battle of Forks Road in February of 1865, where the CAM stands today. At this intersection of art and history, the Museum highlights the stories that embody the bravery and agency of the United States Colored Troops.

Andrew Johnson in Philadelphia, August 28, 1866

G.A.R. Museum & Library Open House IN PERSON
Sunday, September 10, 2023 at 1:00pm
Church Hall
Holmesburg Methodist Church

 Andrew Johnson in Philadelphia, August 28, 1866

Description

The city authorities of Philadelphia had vetoed a civic reception and the mayor (Morton McMichael) had ostentatiously departed on a vacation; but a monster welcome had been organized privately. General Meade at the head of a military delegation escorted the commander-in-chief to the Continental Hotel, where Johnson was to speak and remain overnight. The factual Associated Press reported the streets bright with flags and streamers, but The Tribune (New York) insisted they were "bare and destitute of ornament", the sole display at the hotel being "six small and particularly dirty flags...stuck out of a chambermaids' window."

Johnson's speech in Philadelphia was a plea for national unity. "Forget that we have been divided into parties," he urged. "Let the interests of the great mass of people be promoted, and let parties sink into insignificance." And don't worry about politicians, "for when the people get right, the politicians are very accommodating." 

Michael Wunsch BIO

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Michael Wunsch has been a resident of Northeast Philadelphia since 1966, having graduated from Northeast High School, and La Salle College (1980, B.S. Business Administration), he currently live in Fox Chase, Philadelphia, and is employed by a Social Services company, Delta Community Supports.

Michael’s presentation is titled 'Andrew Johnson's Swing Around the Circle, August - September, 1866', the talk includes an overview of the 'Union Party' Johnson administrations' post-Civil War Reconstruction policy in relation to the Northern States, and that of the former Confederacy, and the fierce opposition to Johnsons' 'policy' from elements of the 'Radical' Congress, politicians, and the press, Johnson's train tour, the stated purpose of which was to attend the dedication of the Stephen Douglas Monument, in Chicago, Illinois, however, the 'Campaign Swing' quickly took on a different form, one that Andrew Johnson, historians contend, never recovered from politically. 

The presentation includes eyewitness and newspaper accounts of this controversial and contentious 'campaign undertaking', between August 27 and September 15, 1866,  an arduous trip that stretched rom "Washington, D.C. to New York, including Philadelphia, west to Chicago, south to St. Louis, and east through the Ohio River valley and back to the nation's capital.", as President Johnson tried to gain support for his mild Reconstruction policies and his preferred candidates in the forthcoming midterm Congressional elections. 

Michael has been speaking publicly on topics related to Abraham Lincoln, Civil War politics, and Philadelphia Civil War history since 2002, in addition to ‘The Honorable John Paul Verree, A Fox Chase Life, 1817-1889, currently his presentations include ‘The National Union Party Convention, Baltimore, Maryland, June 6-7, 1864,  ‘Abraham Lincoln & the Great Central Sanitary Fair, Philadelphia, June 16, 1864’, ‘City of Jubilee, Philadelphia and the Surrender of Robert E. Lee’, and ‘Mob Scene at the Palmetto Flag, A Secessionist Newspaper, Philadelphia, April 13, 1861’.

He is a member of the Delaware Valley CWRT, the GAR Civil War Museum & Library, and the Lincoln Forum, and currently serves (Since 1998) as Corresponding Secretary of the General Meade Society of Philadelphia, an educational 501c3 organization devoted to Major General George Meade’s memory and service to the nation.. www.generalmeadesociety.org

Michael has presented locally at the GAR Museum & Library, in Frankford, the Union League of Philadelphia, the Delaware Valley CWRT, also at the Ryerss Museum & Library, and the Northeast Regional Library, as well as Civil War Round Tables in Gettysburg and York, PA, Cape May Court House, Camden, and Hamilton, NJ, and Wilmington, DE, and others. 

This passage is from The First President Johnson, page 486, by Lately Thomas, 1968, there are much more detailed accounts of Andrew Johnson's time in Philadelphia on August 28, 1866 in the newspapers, but this is a good, brief overview. 

Please send a request to reserve a virtual seat for this outstanding presentation by replying to this e-mail at

garmuslib1866@gmail.com 

You will be sent a link with a password that will enable you to access the program within 24 hours of the start of the presentation. 

As a lover of history, you know how critical it is to keep history alive, especially today!  We very much appreciate your continued support for the GAR Civil War Museum & Library

A FREE virtual program online via zoom for those who can not attend in  person

GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC MUSEUM & LIBRARY
In its new location:
8110 Frankford Ave. (Holmesburg - N.E. Philadelphia)
 • www.garmuslib.org

Civil War Miniatures Exhibition To Raise Funds For Civil War Flag August 19-20

From National Parks Traveler
August 8, 2023

The Gettysburg National Military Park and Gettysburg Foundation will partner with the Artist Preservation Group for its upcoming miniatures exhibition at the military park's Museum and Visitor Center on August 19-20 to raise funds to enable the park to conserve the 2nd North Carolina Infantry flag.

The APG has been a long-time supporter of artifact conservation for the military park's museum collection. The main effort of the miniatures exhibition will focus on educating visitors about the history of the Civil War, the interpretation of the conflict through miniature art, and the material culture used by both sides in the conflict.

The funds raised by APG will allow for exhibition of the 2nd North Carolina Infantry flag in the park’s museum galleries. A new conservation treatment will include unmounting the flag from its current support, removal of old encapsulation and underlays, documentation, custom dying of new underlays/overlays for improved appearance and protection, prepare a new mount and reframe — all of which will allow the public to better view and understand the events surrounding the Battle of Gettysburg, along with researchers' understanding the typology of Army of Northern Virginia’s battle flags.

The flag has the typical physical characteristics of third bunting issue flags produced by the Richmond Clothing Bureau from British-produced wool bunting for issuance to the Army of Northern Virginia in May 1863. The physical characteristics and visible battle honors suggest a likelihood the regiment carried this flag at Gettysburg.

APG is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization of like-minded historical artists whose mission is to generate capital, through fundraising and donations, to aide in the preservation and restoration of threatened historical sites and/or artifacts. They use their artistic talents to support historical sites as they continue their dedication to the preservation, restoration, and interpretation of events that shaped history.

NPS's $2.2 Million Battlefield Protection Program

Battlefields in Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and Virginia are protecting a combined 238 acres through the National Park Service's American Battlefield Protection Program.

Deep in the heart of the Chickamauga Battlefield, the forest appears as it most likely did during the Civil War/American Battlefield Trust

from National Parks Traveler 8-1-23

Grants totaling $2.2 million are being used to purchase the acreage in the states, according to a Park Service release.

State and local governments spearhead projects funded by ABPP grants to protect significant battlefield landscapes that are vital to the shared history of their communities and the nation. The Land and Water Conservation Fund, which reinvests revenue from offshore oil and natural gas leasing to help strengthen conservation and recreation opportunities across the nation, makes these awards possible.  

During the Civil War, the mountainous terrain of southern Tennessee and northern Georgia was a landscape of concern for both armies of the North and the South as they competed for access to supplies, reliable communication, as well as control of the rail hub and iron works of Chattanooga. Nestled in the mountains of Georgia, Chickamauga Battlefield’s legacy is one of bravery and courage. Farmers, merchants and other regular folk comprised the troops that fought valiantly in the name of patriotism. Nearly 160 years later, the preservation of these lands honors their lives and sacrifice. The property preserved today remains wooded as it was during the Civil War. The conservation easement will ensure the land will remain hallowed and honored by the bravery and commitment to patriotism shown by those who fought.  

The awards are to: 

• Georgia Department of Natural Resources, $172,133.16 for preservation of 4.08 acres at Chickamauga Battlefield in Catoosa County, Georgia. 

• Mississippi Department of Archives and History, $367,926.00 for preservation of 94.5 acres at Brice’s Cross Roads Battlefield in Prentiss County, Mississippi. 

• Mississippi Department of Archives and History, $231,805.00 for preservation of 1.5 acres at Chickasaw Bayou Battlefield in Warren County, Mississippi. 

• North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, $257,605.00 for preservation of 86.36 acres at Wyse Fork Battlefield in Jones and Lenoir Counties, North Carolina. 

• Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, $429,372.50 for preservation of 7.36 acres at Cedar Mountain Battlefield in Culpeper County, Virginia. 

• Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, $605,750 for preservation of 41 acres at Malvern Hill Battlefield in Henrico County, Virginia. 

• Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, $153,464.87 for preservation of 3 acres at Reams Station Battlefield in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. 

The story of Brevet Lt Col Alexander Thomas Augusta, M.D. August 6th via Zoom

THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC (G.A.R.) CIVIL WAR MUSEUM & ARCHIVE

Presents a New Program via ZOOM 
   Sunday, August 6, 2023 at 1:00pm

The story of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Thomas Augusta, M.D.

He was the U. S. Army's first African-American physician (of a total of eight) and its highest-ranking African-American officer at the time. He was also appointed to lead the Freedman's Hospital in Washington, D.C., in 1863, becoming the first black hospital administrator in U.S. history. Later he served as Surgeon of the 7th U.S.C.T. Regiment.

 He was a physician, businessman, and Civil Rights icon. He was the first person of African descent to be commissioned regimental surgeon with the rank of Major in the Union army. He had to overcome many obstacles to become a physician and later a regimental surgeon. It is my sincere desire that this presentation will introduce you to, and/or enhance your knowledge of Dr. Augusta. Also, it is important to understand the problems that he faced while delivering " faithful and meritorious service" to his nation and his people. 

BIO - Michael A. Hill, M.D.

Native Washingtonian raised in Northeast D.C. Graduated Saint Andrew's School, Middletown, DE 1971 (Featured in the movie: Dead Poets Society) Graduated Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts 1975 BA Medical School: George Washington University, Washington D.C. 1979 M.D. Internship and residency, Internal Medicine: The Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C. 1979 to 1982

Chief Medical Resident, Washington Hospital Center 1982 to 1983. Diplomat, National Board of Medical Examiners 1980 to Present Board Certified, American Board of Internal Medicine 1984 to Present. Internal Medicine practice Philadelphia, PA 1983 to 1986. Internal Medicine practice Washington, D.C Capital Area Permanente Medical Group. 1986 to 1988. Internal Medicine Humana Group Health Plan, Washington, D.C. 1989 to 1994. Staff physician, later Medical Director, Bethlehem Steel/ Sparrow's Point Division (Baltimore) 1994 to 2003. Staff Physician and Center Medical Director, Concentra Medical Center/Urgent Care, various offices in the Baltimore/Washington area, 2003 to 2019. Retired, March 2019.  Civil War Reenactor since March 1989. Participated in the filming of the movie "Glory" and " Sommersby" Given multiple lectures on Civil War Medicine during living histories and at schools. Lectured a class at Columbia Union College on Religion and the Civil War.

Please send a request to reserve a virtual seat for this outstanding presentation by replying to this e-mail at garmuslib1866@gmail.com 

You will be sent a link with a password that will enable you to access the program within 24 hours of the start of the presentation.

We will make every effort to reply, but G-Mail may be slow and our volunteer may be called away during the day before or the morning of August 6

As a lover of history, you know how critical it is to keep history alive, especially today!  We very much appreciate your continued support for the GAR Civil War Museum & Library

GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC MUSEUM & ARCHIVE
8110 Frankford Ave. (Holmesburg - N.E. Philadelphia)

Open on Tuesdays from 11 to 4.
 • www.garmuslib.org

Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023, at 5 p.m. ~ An "After-Hours" Program on Rare Artifacts at GBMP

Gettysburg, Pa. (July 13, 2023)—Join the Gettysburg Foundation at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023, at 5 p.m. for an "after-hours" program on rare artifacts cared for in the archives of the Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War. Area residents and visitors to Gettysburg are invited to experience “An Evening with the Artifacts“ for an exclusive, close-up look at artifacts of the American Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg. Gettysburg Foundation president and CEO, author and historian Wayne E. Motts will kick off the new series, presenting rare and one-of-a-kind artifacts in this exclusive behind-the-scenes program. 

The program series features artifacts from the Gettysburg Foundation’s collections formerly owned by the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia, as well as Civil War related three-dimensional items – some of which have never before been on display to the public. Selections to observe during the series come from holdings that include artifacts belonging to George Meade, Ulysses S. Grant and Jefferson Davis, to name a few.

During this new program series, guests can hear the stories and learn about the connections these artifacts have to the people, places and events in our nation’s history. Ticket holders are welcome to enjoy additional time to view these remarkable, authentic Civil War treasures in person. There will be time for a question and answer session during the presentation.

Limited to 50 attendees, the special presentation takes place in the Ford Motor Company Fund Education Center inside the Museum & Visitor Center. To purchase tickets for “An Evening with the Artifacts,” call 717-334-2436 or visit GettysburgFoundation.org. Tickets can also be purchased in advance at the Ticket Counter in the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center, 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, Pa.

Manor College's Civil War Institute presents Via ZOOM "Civil War Medicine" Wed, July 12

The doctors and nurses who treated sick and wounded soldiers faced a daunting task: Antibiotics and the science of bacteriology didn’t exist; crude sanitation and polluted water were deadly. More Civil War soldiers died of disease than of battle wounds. Military doctors had to become medical explorers. And why were there so many amputations?

 If you've ever attended a program or class presented by the popular lecturer Herb Kaufman, you know how interesting his programs are, and how he has a way of ferreting out the unusual stories and incidents of whatever topic he is discussing. As you may know, Herb is an expert on the medical history of the Civil War, and his programs on this topic are always popular and always entertaining.

And as a lover of history, you know how critical it is to keep history alive, especially today! 

We would love to have your support, as we look to continue to make these programs available. Invite a friend!

Please access https://manor.edu/academics/adult-continuing-education/history-institute/  to register for this program.  You will be sent a link with a password that will enable you to access the virtual program. A reminder email will be sent again within 24 hours of the start of the class.

For more information or to sign up via email or phone, please contact coned@manor.edu or call 215-884-2218

"Fighting for Freedom: African Americans in the Civil War" - Monday June 26

THE CIVIL WAR INSTITUTE AT MANOR COLLEGE Presents the ZOOM Program 

"Fighting for Freedom: African Americans in the Civil War"

 Monday, June 26 (6:30 – 8:30 pm)

Instructor:  Paula Gidjunis

Fee: $30

African American men and women – in and out of uniform – were a major part of the Union war effort, and also played a huge role in gaining their own freedom. We will look at these contributions, along with the leadership and work of blacks themselves in the abolition movement and the Underground Railroad. It is estimated that between 25,000 and 50,000 people found freedom through this network.  We will identify many who contributed to that freedom, including some former slaves who became leaders and voices in the Civil War.

Join LOCAL historical reenactor and lecturer, Paula Gidjunis, for this program. 

If you've ever attended a program with Paula, you know her expertise on many history topics, especially on the civilians in the war and on the homefront, and how interesting her presentations are. You're sure to find this program a very moving presentation.
 

 Please access https://manor.edu/academics/adult-continuing-education/history-institute/ to

 register for this program.  You will be sent a link with a password that will enable you to access the virtual program. A reminder email will be sent again within 24 hours of the start of the class.

 And, as a lover of history, you know how critical it is to keep history alive, especially today! 

We would love to have your support, as we look to continue to make these programs available. Invite a friend!

Artists at Gettysburg - a new E-Book by Steven G. Sanders

As the 3-day Battle of Gettysburg raged, on-site visual depictions of the struggle were recording the action real-time. These have been mostly overlooked for over 160 years. Though scholars have scrutinized nearly every aspect of this historic event, drawings and paintings made by eyewitnesses — the only real visual documentation of the action — have all but been forgotten.

Artists at Gettysburg presents this unique collection — the work of two "special artists" and a Union soldier — in full color plates. This 68-page book appeals to art enthusiasts, Civil War buffs, historians, or any reader who enjoys compelling, true stories. Anecdotal essays animate the scenes, place them in context, and evoke the action of the battle. All 63 of these unique artworks have been faithfully reproduced from the originals.

Steve Sanders' fine art education, his 40-year professional career in 3-d design as well as his experience as a tour guide at the White House of the Confederacy Museum, has fostered his interest in historical events containing unique artistic elements. His research in the combat artists of the Civil War inspired him to consider whether any of their 1000s of pieces of extraordinary original art & the stories behind them still existed.

Astonishingly, Alfred Waud and Edwin Forbes, artists working for competing weekly newspapers, actually documented the action as the battle raged on. In addition to a handful of images that have been published previously, the author's painstaking research uncovered more than 4-dozen additional drawings that have rarely been seen.

The collection the author assembled constitutes the only visual documentation of the action created during the battle & its immediate aftermath. It is a compelling, valuable archive that deserves to finally be seen.

Available at this link

ACWM collaborates with Roundtable (92NY) to offer live online courses!

Now Offering Live Online Courses

Roundtable is 92NY’s new destination for live online courses and Q&A with the greatest minds of our time: world-renowned historians, Pulitzer Prize-winning writers, political pundits, and acclaimed food and wine experts. For over 140 years, 92NY has been a world-class community center where people can connect through culture, arts, entertainment, and conversation. Visit Roundtable.org to find more exciting courses in Literature, History, Politics, Arts, and Food & Drink

View Full List of Courses

Emancipation Towns & Migrating Dreams of Freedom and Citizenship
June 15th & 22nd
11:00AM-12:00PM ET

(2 Sessions - “This is Home” & “We Have to Go”)

Overview:

In the aftermath of the Civil War and Emancipation, newly freed men and women established homes and communities of their own. Some migrated west or north, others stayed closer to lands and people they knew, starting with nothing but the determination to begin autonomous lives in a new, uncertain America.

Purchase/Gift this Course

Voices of Abolition
July 13th & 20th
11:00AM-12:00PM ET

(2 Sessions - “From the Fugitive Slave Law to Abolition” & “The Beginnings of an Abolition Movement”)

Overview:

Although African Americans were a driving force in the abolition movement few outside Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman are widely known today. Discover the stories of individuals who played a pivotal role in bringing the issue of slavery to the forefront.

Purchase/Gift this Course

One Image, Two Freedom Fighters

August 10th & 17th
11:00AM-12:00PM ET

(2 Sessions - “One Image, Two Freedom Fighters”)

Overview:

The 1864 photo of USCT Pvt. Hubbard Pryor became a national recruitment tool for the US Army and Black male pride in the fight for Emancipation. Then it vanished from memory, only to resurface as a depiction of Gabriel, the enslaved Virginia blacksmith who led a well-organized, if thwarted large-scale rebellion more than 60 years before. What can we learn from the stories of these two men?

Purchase/Gift this Course

First Ladies of the Civil War

November 16th
11:00AM-12:00PM ET

(2 Sessions - “One Image, Two Freedom Fighters”)

Overview:

Although on opposite sides of a divided nation, Varina Davis and Mary Todd Lincoln had much in common. Delve into the lives of these two intriguing women who were First Ladies during the American Civil War.

Purchase/Gift this Course