Experiencing History: Pictures from Appomattox: Part 4 Museums

Today, I’m bringing to you a collection of interesting displays from various museums. I hope you enjoy. And don’t forget you can catch up on the entire series by clicking on the “ExperHist” tag on the right. 🙂

This is one the flags that laid across Lincoln’s coffin during his funeral procession. His procession lasted 2 weeks.

 

This is the doll nicknamed, “The Silent Witness.” There are several books written about the doll’s experience and you can buy replicas today, but here is the original doll, once owned by Lula McLean. Before Lee and Grant met in their home, Lula accidentally left her favorite rag doll in the room. After the men left the room it was found by one of Grant’s officers and dubbed, “The Silent Witness.”

This is Lee’s copy of the surrender terms penned by Grant himself. What lovely handwriting he has!

Below is a picture of a cracked plate. It may not seem like much, but the story behind it fascinated me. It was once owned by Emily H. Booton. Family legend has it that a detail of Union raiders visited her home looking for food. When a soldier picked up the plate of bread and butter, she snatched the plate away and hit him in the face with the plate. It’s said that the plate cracked and the hit knocked him out cold. Another Union soldier stepped in to protect the woman from the angry soldiers. 😉 I have a feeling a similar story will find its way into the pages of one of my novels someday.

Lady’s glove pattern

Below is a bodice sleeve pattern made from a newspaper page. This was just one of several ways the southern women made due with what they had.

A corn shuck cap

Lol this doll became the joke of the weekend. It’s hard to imagine her ever being a lovely play toy, but she certainly led an interesting life. She was used to smuggle medicine into the South during the war.

In this xray, you can see the hole cut into the doll’s head where they hid the medicine.

This is called the Bullet Rosette. A Union and Confederate bullet met and formed this rosette. It was found on the Spotsylvania battlefield.

Before Valentine cards were commercially made, they were homemade. This beautiful card was made by an unknown Confederate soldier.

And here’s another lovely example of a homemade Valentine. This one was made by a Confederate soldier while in the hospital. I can’t make out everything it says, but it starts off saying, “Valentine BUT by a Confederate soldier in…” The way he included the word “but” leads me to think he might have given it to a nurse, likely a Union nurse. And it doesn’t sound as if he knew her personally. I can’t help but wonder what the story behind this Valentine is…or better yet, what story I might create based on it. 😉
It is very lovely and very well done. You can see that in the close-up pictures below.