These objects belonged to the men and boys who fought on the front lines for both Confederate and Union forces. They represent what soldiers wore, what they ate, how they coped, and what they held dear to them. These items, more often than not, were the only possessions soldiers kept while enlisted; on many are personal touches added by the owner. Some reflect the pageantry and pride imbued in uniforms or encouragement from the sound of a bugle. Others show how a loved one was cherished through a photograph. This section displays objects that helped the soldier get through the atrocities of war—objects that have helped generations since in understanding the soldier’s perspective.
