Many Historians trace the start of the civil war to 1776, the birth of our Nation. The Civil War and the people who fought in it are often painted in black and white, but it is far more complicated than you think. This session is an open discussion and Q&A about the Civil War, the politics that precipitated it, and the complex mix of personal views on both sides of the Mason Dixon Line. What you learn might surprise you.

Learn about the typical day in the life of a soldier in the Civil War. You will discover what it was like to be a recruit, what uniforms and clothing were issued, and what may have come from home. Discover what equipment and personal items they carried.   See how the soldiers lived in the camps, both in garrison or winter camp and while on a campaign. Find out what life-threatening challenges soldiers faced that had nothing to do with the battles.

Have you ever been curious about reenactors? Do you wonder if we actually sleep in the camps, cook over a fire, and turn off our cell phones for the whole weekend? What happens when the spectators leave? Is it expensive? Are there different kinds of reenactors? How old do I have to be? All these questions and more will be answered. Be careful; you might find you have enlisted before you leave!

"Not a man of all those brave fellows was on his feet, and so thickly were all covered with dust that they looked as if they had been reclothed in yellow. "We bury our dead," said a gunner grimly.

– Ambrose Bierce describes the Battle of Chickamauga

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Learn about the use of field artillery, the crews, and the types of shells fired in the Civil war. You will see and touch an actual 1841 Mountain Howitzer, and learn how it was used and what made it special.  Your group will crew the gun and walk through the steps it takes to load and fire the weapon! 

"We grab our plates and cups and wait for no second invitation. We each get a piece of meat and a potato, a chunk of bread, and a cup of coffee with a spoonful of brown sugar in it. Milk and butter we buy, or go without. We settle down, generally in groups, and the meal is soon over… We save a piece of bread for the last, with which we wipe up everything, and then eat the dish rag. Dinner and breakfast are alike, only sometimes the meat and potatoes are cut up and cooked together, which makes a really delicious stew. Supper is the same, minus the meat and potatoes."

– Lawrence VanAlstyne, Union Soldier, 128th New York Volunteer Infantry

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The biggest culinary problem during the Civil War, for both the North and the South, was inexperience. Men of this time were accustomed to the women of the house, or female slaves, preparing the food. For a male army soldier, cooking was a completely foreign concept. Thrust into the bleak reality of war; soldiers were forced to adjust to a new way of life and eating on the battlefield.

Learn about the food soldiers ate in camp, on the march, and while campaigning. How they cooked it, where it came from and what men would spend their money on when a Sutler came to camp.

Marching and fighting drill was part of the daily routine for the Civil War soldier. Infantry soldiers drilled as squads and in company formations, each man getting accustomed to orders and formations such as marching in columns and a "company front," how to face correctly, dress the line and interact with his fellow soldiers. The drill was necessary for the infantry because they used tactics that had changed little since the American Revolution and Napoleonic Wars: infantry fought in closely knit formations of two ranks (or rows) of soldiers, each man in the rank standing side by side. 

Get ready for a little taste of life as a Civil War Soldier.

In the words of Sarah Edmonds Seelye, also known as Franklin Flint Thompson of the 2nd Michigan Infantry: "I could only thank God that I was free and could go forward and work, and I was not obliged to stay at home and weep."

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Military records reveal that women fought—and died—in all the major battles of the Civil War, participating in clashes in Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Shiloh, and Vicksburg, among many others. Dressed as men, women took on a wide range of military roles in the Civil War. Sarah Edmonds participated in the Peninsula Campaign as a soldier, spy, and courier. Historians estimate that as many as 1,000 women may have disguised themselves as men and served in the Confederate and Union armies

Marching and fighting drill was part of the daily routine for the Civil War soldier. Infantry soldiers drilled as squads and in company formations, each man getting accustomed to orders and formations such as marching in columns and a "company front," how to face correctly, dress the line and interact with his fellow soldiers. The drill was necessary for the infantry because they used tactics that had changed little since the American Revolution and Napoleonic Wars: infantry fought in closely knit formations of two ranks (or rows) of soldiers, each man in the rank standing side by side. 

Get ready for a little taste of life as a Civil War Soldier.

"The story of the war will never be fully or fairly written if the achievements of women in it are untold."

Frank Moore - Women of the War, 1867

Women may have been little recognized for their contributions to the war effort, but they were not untouched. In reality, hardly a woman was not impacted by the war. Fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons were away fighting. Many women were left at home to fend for themselves, keep a family going, or maintain a business. Some went out and raised awareness and support for the needs of the troops, working with an expanding network of women. Others took their expected roles of nurturing, encouraging, and sustaining outside the home, the soldiers in the field and hospitals.

Learn about the life of a Woman in the 1860s from several perspectives.

The United States Sanitary Commission (USSC) was a private relief agency created by federal legislation on June 18, 1861, to support the sick and wounded. The Sanitary Commission staffed field hospitals, raised money, provided supplies, and worked to educate the military and government on matters of health and sanitation. 

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The United States Christian Commission (USCC) was an organization that furnished supplies, medical services, and religious literature to Union troops during the American Civil War. It combined spiritual support with social services and recreational activities.

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Learn how these organizations and their thousands of volunteers provided a glimmer of light during the darkest time in our history.

The popular Civil War campfire song poked fun at Jeb Stuarts mounted units and also encouraged infantry men to “Jine the Cavalry”  The story of the cavalry during the Civil War is not only the story of the development of raw recruits and officers from difficult beginnings to finely honed and feared machines, but also the story of the evolution of an arm of the military that had been neglected before 1861.

You will learn from a Cavalry Trooper (and their horse) about their equipment, life, and mission.

After a brief introduction of Grant’s life by Mrs. Julia D. Grant, the engagements, habits, and contributions of U.S. Grant are explored by Sam Grant with the use of lively and often humorous anecdotes, letters, and his impressions of the times.