National Civil War Museum (3/12/2020)

Thursday, March 12, 2020
The National Civil War Museum (in Harrisburg, PA) claims to be the only museum in the country to portray the entire story of the Civil War, in balanced and humanistic presentations without bias to Union and Confederate causes. (It has reciprocity with Tyler Arboretum.)

National Civil War Museum (2001) displays artifacts collected by the city
of Harrisburg from 1994-1999 under the auspices of Mayor Stephen R Reed 

Moment of Mercy (2001, by Terry Jones) memorializes
moments during the war when soldiers offered water
to injured soldiers from the opposing army

"American" values are divided and the issue becomes:
what is meant by the sovereignty of states?

Dioramas include the "First Shots" at Fort Sumter, SC

Models with miniature soldiers illustrate moments in battle,
such as the taking of Rohrbach Bridge at Antietam Creek in 1862

The story is that Union troops made two attempts, but were unable to cross the bridge. The third attempt was successful. Was it because the 51st Pennsylvania, whose whisky ration had been cut due to some misconduct, were promised their ration back if they took the bridge?

Hmm, a Union sniper?

Army camp scene ...

... Army camp scene continued (the soldier closest
to us is playing a harmonica)

The Civil War had many wartime firsts,
such as the creation of an ambulance corps

The saddle and tack box of General Ulysses S Grant

Civil War veteran Ephraim Slaughter, is depicted
wearing his Grand Army of the Republic uniform;
he spent his post-military years in Harrisburg, PA 

Ephraim was born a slave, escaped to join the Union Army, and participated in the Civil War and Reconstruction. He was invited to attend the 1938 dedication of the Peace Memorial in Gettysburg, but was barred from participating in ceremonies involving former Confederate soldiers, where blue and gray shook hands "in brotherhood."
Next: Greensburg, PA.