The Museum of the Confederacy

Whew! It’s been a little while but more than past time for an Update. Last month, we drove a couple of hours over to Richmond. We’re really working to get the most out of every trip so we visited the Museum of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis’ home (the White House of the Confederacy), and Chimborazo Confederate Hospital Museum. So actually, I’ve got enough information for several blog posts.

The Museum of the Confederacy is a small 3-floor museum, the topmost floor was dedicated to an exhibit on Flags of the Confederacy. There were several glass cases of uniforms and clothing of the period, including pieces specific to well known officers such as Robert E. Lee, John Bell Hood, etc. I am a bit disappointed in not finding much mention of what happened to disabled veterans both during and after the war but nevertheless it was an educational and informative visit. And we looked for footage that might be useful as B-roll.

“The Last Meeting of Lee and Jackson” originally titled “The Heroes of Chancellorsville,” a gigantic oil on canvas done by Everett B.D. Julio. The painting depicts a romanticized final meeting between General Robert E. Lee and Lt. General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson before the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863, where Jackson was wounded and later died. The original painting was acquired by the Museum of the Confederacy in 1992 and currently dominates their lobby area, even from its place in an alcove by the stairs.

This photo is from the July 3, 1913 50th Reunion of Gettysburg. This was a reenactment of Pickett’s Charge by the survivors. The musem has it blow up to poster size and it fills a wall. That day, thousands of spectators gathered to watch as the Union veterans took their positions on Cemetery Ridge, and waited as their old adversaries emerged from the woods of Seminary Ridge and started toward them again. First it was a walk, then they got faster, and faster, until it was an all out run. They converged as they had 50 years earlier at the stone wall but this time the Confederates were met with embraces of from the men they once battled.

And to close, I just want to give a quick snippet of video. This is from the headquarters tent of Robert E. Lee. While the display is exactly that, the items and personal effects actually belonged to Lee and went on campaign with him.