Background: Civil War Photography
Wes Cowan of PBS's History Detectives discusses the work of photographers during the Civil War, including how photographers manipulated reality in constructing their shots.
Wes Cowan of PBS's History Detectives discusses the work of photographers during the Civil War, including how photographers manipulated reality in constructing their shots.
The Custer Memorial consists of a bronze statue at the site of George Armstrong Custer's birth, the foundation of the house in which he was born, and an exhibit pavilion. George Custer (18391876), known as a daring cavalry brigade commander of the Civil War, and his division blocked General Robert E. Lee's retreat during the Appomattox Campaign. Post Civil War, within the army, Custer was defeated and killed in the Indian War's Battle of Little Bighorn (1876) by a Native American coalition (primarily Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho) led by the Sioux Crazy Horse, Gall, and Sitting Bull.
The memorial offers an exhibit pavilion.
Ulysses S. Grant was born 27 April 1822 in picturesque Point Pleasant near the mouth of Big Indian Creek at the Ohio River. This restored one-story, three-room cottage, which was built in 1817, was next to the tannery where Grant's father worked. The small cottage is furnished with period items. At one time the birthplace made an extensive tour of the United States on a railroad flatcar and was also temporarily displayed on the Ohio State fairgrounds.
The site offers tours.
The 7.4acre Battle of Carthage Historic Site preserves the location of the Battle of Carthage, one of the earliest engagements in the Civil War, fought 5 July, 1861. The site includes a portion of the battleground, as well as the site of both the Union and Confederate camps. The battle itself, a Confederate victory, was led by Union Colonel Franz Sigel and Confederate Governor Claiborne Jackson. In this skirmish, Sigel attempted to prevent Jackson's men from banding together with other nearby Confederate troops.
The site offers an informational kiosk.
In 1860, Abraham Lincoln left his home of 17 years in order to assume to office of President, where he served until his assassination in 1865. The Lincoln Home has been restored to its 1860 state, and shows a different side of Abraham Lincoln to visitors. In the home, visitors can see Lincoln as a husband, father, and politician.
The site offers visitor information, a lesson plan for teachers, a museum shop, and brief historical information about both the historic Lincoln Home and Abraham Lincoln himself. In order to email the park, use the "contact us" link on the webpage.
Richmond's story is not just the tale of one large Civil War battle, nor even one important campaign. Instead, the park's resources include a naval battle, a key industrial complex, the Confederacy's largest hospital, dozens of miles of elaborate original fortifications, and the evocative spots where determined soldiers stood paces apart and fought with rifles, reaping a staggering human cost.
The site offers exhibits, tours, educational programs, and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).
"Dear Mother, we remained in the broiling sun in little pits the size of a common grave though not half so well furnished. There we lay and everytime a man Show his head Zip would come a minnie." This pressure was central to a soldier's experience in a 292-day siege. Here, Union forces slowly cut off Petersburg from the world and brought the fall of the Confederacy.
The site offers a short film, exhibits, tours, educational programs, and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).
The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War, the Union victory in the summer of 1863 that ended General Robert E. Lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Confederacy," it was the war's bloodiest battle with 51,000 casualties. It also provided President Abraham Lincoln with the setting for his most famous address.
The park offers tours, exhibits, a film, educational programs, and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).
Arlington House was the home of Robert E. Lee and his family for 30 years and is uniquely associated with the Washington and Custis families. George Washington Parke Custis built the house to be his home and a memorial to George Washington, his step-grandfather. It is now preserved as a memorial to General Lee, who gained the respect of Americans in both the North and the South.
The house offers exhibits, tours, and educational programs.
Clara Barton National Historic Site commemorates the life of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. The home served as the headquarters and warehouse for the organization.
The site offers tours, performances, and educational and recreational events.