Between the Bylines: Union and Independence in the Summer of 1861
It’s July 4th weekend, for many Americans a time for celebration, fireworks, and grilling. But it’s also an opportunity to think about …
Category: Artifact of the Month
From POWs to Dental Work: The Strange Career of Gutta-Percha
Did you know that the ACWM has more than 120,000 artifacts in its collection? Did you know that 100,000 of them are …
Artifact of the Month | Brooch and Earrings
Civil War prison camps were notoriously awful places to spend any time. Both governments in the conflict were ill prepared to take …
Artifact of the Month | The Other Jeff Davis
Jefferson C. Davis is probably best remembered for two things: the similarity of his name to the President of the Confederate …
Artifact of the Month | Portraits of John Young Mason Anderson
Named for his recently-deceased maternal grandfather, politician and diplomat John Young Mason (1799-1859), John Y. Mason Anderson posed for his portrait at …
Artifact of the Month | Confederate Congress Chair
In May 1861, the Provisional Confederate Congress, meeting in Montgomery, Alabama, decided to move the seat of government to Richmond, Virginia. The …
Artifact of the Month | Armor Breastplate with Tassets
By Robert Hancock, Senior Curator This armor breastplate was taken from an officer in the 5th New York Cavalry on May …
Artifact of the Month | POW Ring
By Robert Hancock, Head Curator According to one wartime visitor to the White House, “The walls and mantels of her (Varina Davis, …
Artifact of the Month | At-Home Office Table
By Robert Hancock, Head Curator President Jefferson Davis had an official suite of offices on Bank Street in Richmond across from …
Artifact of the Month | Carte-de-Visite of Julia Ann Mitchell
Julia Ann Mitchell (1831-1915) was the daughter of Julia Ann Burnham Mitchell (1807-1876) and Boston-born William Mitchell, Jr. (1797-1852), a noted jeweler, …
March 2018 Artifact of the Month | Tea Caddy
By Robert Hancock Senior Curator & Director of Collections In spite of the fact that the Confederacy was in the midst of …