For many Americans, both civilian and military, who lived through the conflict, the Civil War was the monumental event of their lifetime. They collected relics as they adjusted to the immediate consequences of the war. In recognition of their valor in battle, some men were bestowed with presentation swords and awards such as the Medal of Honor. Veterans groups such as the United Confederate Veterans and the Grand Army of the Republic formed to strengthen contact between soldiers and solidify bonds forged in combat and camp while carrying on the memory of those lost in battle. The nation grappled with the residual effects of the Civil War for more than a century. This section displays objects that evoked different memories from the war.
