Brought to you by the National Civil War Museum
Civil War flag center offers ‘immersive experience
By Jan Murphy | jmurphy@pennlive.com
Civil War enthusiasts have a new attraction to take in when visiting Pennsylvania’s capital.
The completed Pennsylvania Civil War Battle Flag Education Center features not only one of the nation’s largest collection of state-issued regimental flags but an interactive exhibit detailing the stories behind them and the people who carried them…
Story is at … this link
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GRAND OPENING!
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2023
The Capitol Preservation Committee is proud to announce the Grand Opening of the NEW Pennsylvania Civil War Battle Flag Education Center on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. A ribbon cutting ceremony will start at 9:30am with the Education Center remaining open until 4:00PM.
The Open House will continue Thursday and Friday, October 5th & 6th from 9:00AM - 4:00PM.
All are invited and welcome to attend the Grand Opening or Open Houses to tour the new exhibit focusing on Pennsylvania's Civil War regiments, battle flags, and color bearers highlighted through images and artifacts of valor.
The Pennsylvania Civil War Battle Flag Education Center will resume normal tours on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, by appointment only. To schedule a tour, contact Jason Wilson at (717) 783-6484 or jwilson@cpc.state.pa.us
The Pennsylvania Civil War Battle Flag Education Center is located at 2221 Forster Street, Harrisburg.
NPS Awards $3.3 million To Protect 120 Acres At Five Civil War Battlefields
From National Parks Traveler September 26, 2023
A section of landscape near Trevilian Station to be protected and interpreted as a site of a calvary battle during the Civil War in Louisa County, Virginia/NPS
The National Park Service awarded $3.29 million through the American Battlefield Protection Program to protect 120 acres at battlefields in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia.
State and local governments spearhead the 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.
“These awards expand the local stewardship efforts of state and local governments with their preservation partners to increase protection of the irreplaceable historic and cultural landscapes in their communities,” said Park Service Director Chuck Sams.
An example of this expanded preservation is the acquisition at Trevilian Station Battlefield. The property was the site of significant action for much of the first day of the Battle of Trevilian Station on June 11, 1864. During the morning hours, Brigadier General George A. Custer’s Michigan Cavalry Brigade took a side road down to the Gordonsville Road and headed toward Trevilian Station. When his column turned, Custer spotted a large Confederate wagon train in the road ahead of him. He ordered two calvary units, the 5th and 6th Michigan Cavalry, to charge. However, a quick response by the Confederates encircled Custer’s command, which stood alone until additional Union cavalry could make its way through later in the afternoon. This acquisition is near almost 100 acres of protected battlefield secured with previous grant awards. The location to the south of Trevilian Station and the Virginia Central Railroad is already an interpretive tour stop for the battlefield.
The grants were distributed to:
City of Franklin ($1,980,050.00) for the preservation of 0.87 acres at Franklin Battlefield in Williamson County, Tennessee.
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission ($756,650.25) for preservation of 0.63 acres at Gettysburg Battlefield in Adams County, Pennsylvania.
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation ($44,448.00) for the preservation of 8 acres at Dinwiddie Courthouse Battlefield in Dinwiddie County, Virginia.
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation ($184,156.00) for the preservation of 11.78 acres at Seven Pines Battlefield in Henrico County, Virginia.
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation ($325,615.00) for the preservation of 98.7 acres at Trevilian Station Battlefield in Louisa County, Virginia.
Camp William Penn and Historic La Mott Day - *****CANCELLED *****
Fort Sumter's Historic Civil War-Era Flags To Be 'Rested' For Conservation
The 33-star U.S. flag is one of several flags at Fort Sumter to go into storage for a while/NPS file
In an effort to help preserve the life of Civil War-era flags, several flags at Fort Sumter Fort Moultrie National Historical Park in South Carolina will be removed from the park museum and stored in the dark for a period time to rest.
Fort Sumter’s historic Civil War-era flag collection consists of the Palmetto Guard, the United States 33-star storm, and United States 33-star garrison flags. They will be removed from public display for an indefinite period beginning September 19. It is anticipated that the removal will take two days and the Fort Sumter Museum will be closed during this time.
The historic flags need to be rested for their long-term preservation, a park release said. The exhibition of textile artifacts like flags must limit humidity fluctuations and prevent long-term irreversible light damage that make them progressively more fragile. While all the flags underwent conservation prior to display in the museums, they have been on display for more than 20 years. Despite taking great care to protect the artifacts, they are best preserved when stored in a clean, dark, cool, and dry environment for periods of rest, the release added.
The United States garrison flag flew over Fort Sumter until it sustained wind damage the night of April 11, 1861. It was replaced by the smaller United States storm flag that endured a 34-hour bombardment from Confederate artillery that precipitated the beginning of the American Civil War. The Palmetto Guard flag was the first Confederate flag to fly over the fort after the departure of the United States Army on April 14, 1861.
NPS Proposes To Raze Old Buildings At Harpers Ferry NHP
The National Park Service is proposing to raze the Henkle farmhouse and four other structures at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia/LOC
Five post-Civil War structures within Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia that are in dilapidated condition would be razed under a proposal the National Park Service has opened to public comment.
The structures, located in a wooded area on Schoolhouse Ridge South about a mile south of Route 340 along Millville Road, are in a severe state of disrepair and pose a serious safety hazard to visitors and staff, according to the Park Service.
Through this project, the park staff would remove the structures while leaving the foundations and any contributing cultural landscape features in place, including ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers.
By removing these buildings, the existing landscape will more closely resemble the battlefield cultural landscape of the Battle of Harpers Ferry in 1862.
Jacob “Furl” Henkle built his house and established Henkle Farm sometime after 1906, Park Service records show. The family then sold the property to the Standard Lime & Stone Company. The company likely built the dairy barn, milk house, silo, and shed/corn crib after 1920. The Standard Lime & Stone Company abandoned the farm in the 1950s, and it has since sat vacant and unused.
Comments on the proposal are being taken through September 22. You can learn more about the project and leave your comments at this website.
These roads will be closed at Gettysburg National Military Park for work
GETTYSBURG, Pa. (WHTM)– Parts of Gettysburg National Military Park will be closed in the upcoming months for road work.
Repaving for park roads west and north of Gettysburg (Day 1 Battlefield) and the East Cavalry battlefield will start on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
The project will go on for three months and during that time there will be road closures mainly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. as work goes on Sunday through Thursday. Friday is reserved as a rain date.
No work will also done on federal holidays or during the weekend.
Below are the roads scheduled to be repaved:
Oak Ridge parking area: September 5-7 with striping to follow.
Eternal Light Peace Memorial parking area: September 5-8 and 10-14 (Friday work is required due to the Labor Day federal holiday) with striping to follow.
North Confederate Avenue: September 14-18 with shoulder work to follow.
Doubleday/Wadsworth Avenues: September 18-20 with shoulder work to follow.
Buford Avenue: September 20-22 with shoulder work and striping to follow.
Reynolds Avenue: September 22-26 with shoulder work and striping to follow.
West End Guide Station parking area: September 26-27 with striping to follow.
Stone/Meredith Avenues: September 27-29 with shoulder work and striping to follow.
Howard Avenue: September 29 to October 4 with shoulder work and striping to follow.
Jones-Battalion Avenue: October 4-5.
Local York County brewpub expanding; opening at new historic location
For the East Cavalry battlefield roadwork will occur throughout the day leaving the below roads closed:
United States Calvary Avenue: From October 16-23.
Confederate Calvary/Gregg Avenues: From October 23 to November 9.
For more information regarding the upcoming replacement project for the park can be found online at its website.
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
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.