Commemorating the Civil War

The East is full of history, spanning the first American settlements to the Salem witch trials to the Revolutionary War to the Civil War. Having grown up in Massachusetts and majored in history education in college, Bob knows a lot about our country’s beginning. He introduced me to historical sites in his home state during my visits there in the early days of our relationship.

I didn’t know a lot about the Civil War, though. I knew it was the bloodiest battle in American history and that it was fought between North and South about states’ rights, especially in regard to slavery, but not much more than that. We decided to explore some of the amazing landmarks that hearken back to Civil War days as we made our way up the East Coast, starting in Charleston, South Carolina.

The state of Virginia played a pivotal role in the Civil War. In fact, the majority of battles took place there, at least four times as many as in any other state. The capital city of Richmond served as the capital of the Confederacy, only about 100 miles from Washington, D.C., the capital of the Union. 

Today, Virginia is known as the place for lovers, according to a popular slogan. Between 1861 and 1865, however, it was a place for combat. Although we didn’t visit any of the state’s battlefields, we did explore Gettysburg when we traveled through Pennsylvania in 2020. 

Looking Back

Instead, we checked out the American Civil War Museum in downtown Richmond with friends Jim and Jenny. It’s an interesting spot shrouded by old brick facades that remained after the burning of the town during the war. The museum sits on the former site of Tredegar Iron Works, the supplier of half of the artillery to the Confederacy during wartime, and is only about 5 miles away from the White House of the Confederacy, which is also open for tours. ​

At the museum, we worked our way through various displays and interactive exhibits to learn about the area’s war history. The collection included letters from soldiers to home, creations by prisoners of war, information about slaves, the suit Jefferson Davis wore when he was captured by Union forces, and an authentic robe worn by a Ku Klux Klan member — with the face mask cut out of the hood.

In addition, the museum featured a musket demonstration. A staff member in period uniform regaled us with stories about artillery and ammunition used during the war. He even loaded and shot a a long-barreled rifle. We jumped at the deafening pop and wrinkled our noses at the smell of smoke, getting a feel for the noise and chaos soldiers experienced standing side by side.

Paying Respects

After many hours at the museum, hunger pangs motivated us to leave in search of lunch. Jim and Jenny took us to a Mexican joint to fuel our bellies before heading to Hollywood Cemetery. A 90-foot-tall pyramid and numerous gravestones commemorate soldiers who gave their lives during the Civil War. ​

The cemetery is also the permanent resting place of two U.S. presidents (James Monroe and John Tyler) in what’s called Presidents Circle. And it’s the burial site of six Virginia governors, two Supreme Court justices, Confederate General Jeb Stuart, and Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
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The American Civil War Museum and Hollywood Cemetery are only two examples of the many ways to commemorate the Civil War. Plentiful others abound. We continue to brush up on our history as we make our way around this great country.

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